Obituary of Herman J. Willen

A Mass of Christian Burial for Herman Joseph "Ham" Willen of Old Monroe, MO will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 27, 2009 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church near Old Monroe. Msgr. Gregory Schmidt, church pastor, will officiate with burial in Immaculate Conception Cemetery near Old Monroe. Serving as pallbearers will be Jason Hart, Gabe Willen, Ryan Willen, Mike Lanning, Robert Willen, and Rob Willen; honorary pallbearers will be Michael Willen and Daniel Willen. Mr. Willen, 83, died Monday evening, March 23, 2009 at the Village of St. Peters in St. Peters, MO. Born April 7, 1925 in Bridgeton, MO, the fifth of seventeen children born to Bernard and Sophie Litteken Willen. He served his country in the United States Army from January 18, 1949 until being honorably discharged on October 16, 1965. He was united in marriage on May 20, 1950 in Florissant, MO to Patricia Jane Erhardt. This union was blessed with five children: Joseph, Stephen, Jean, Lawrence, and Jacqueline. He worked for several years as a machinist for Gear Products in Bridgeton, retiring in 1986. He was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church near Old Monroe. He was a member of the St. Ferdinand Knights of Columbus 3rd degree. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard and Sophie Willen; eight brothers: Bernard, Edmund, Robert, Eugene, Francis, Lewis Willen and Anthony and Fredoline Willen who died as infants; and three sisters: Marie Nippert, Katherine Willen and Elizabeth Willen. Survivors include three sons: Joseph Willen and his wife, Peggy Jo, of Winfield, Stephen Willen and his wife, Evelyn, of Old Monroe, and Lawrence Willen and his wife, Diana, of St. Charles, MO; two daughters; Jean Neiner and her husband, Christopher, of Philadelphia, PA, and Jacqueline Sauer and her husband, Jeffrey, of Warrenton, MO; thirteen grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. He also leaves two brothers: August Willen and his wife, Rosemary "Cookie", of Bridgeton, and John Willen and his wife, Dorothy, of Belle, MO; three sisters: Theresa Duncan of Warrenton, MO, Margaret Willen of Overland, MO, and Sophie Henke and her husband, Bill, of Warrenton; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, March 26, 2009 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home near Winfield. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association or immaculate Conception Building Fund in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 3838 East Highway 47, P.O. Box 253, Winfield, MO 63389. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com .