Virgil J. WIBBENS

10 JAN 1924 - 13 APR 2012

• BIRTH: 10 JAN 1924, Lennox, Lincoln, South Dakota
• DEATH: 13 APR 2012, South Bend, IN

• MARRIAGE: 29 JUN 1946, St Joseph Catholic, South Bend , IN

INDEX

[N22873] Virgil J. Wibbens
January 10, 1924 ~ April 13, 2012 (age 88)

Virgil J. Wibbens passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on April 13, 2012 at Memorial Hospital where he received exemplary, compassionate care. He was born on January 10, 1924 in Lennox, SD to John and Irene (Schuster) Wibbens, but grew up in Sheboygan, WI. In South Bend on June 29, 1946 in St. Joseph's Church, he married Theresa M. Catanzarite. They have resided in South Bend their entire adult lives. Virgil is survived by his wife; brother, Russell (Carol) Wibbens of Littleton, CO; children, John (Tess) Wibbens and Dr. Cheryl Wibbens Lesh (Dr. Neil), all of South Bend; his grandchildren, Erin Wibbens-Zito (Jim) of Chicago as well as Melissa Wibbens, Zachary Lesh, Andrew Lesh, Christopher Lesh, Alexandra Lesh and Matthew (Brady) Lesh, all of South Bend and great grandson, Dominic Zito as well as numerous family members including nephews & nieces who will always remember "Uncle Virg" as that overgrown kid who relished playing with them. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Irene and a brother, Robert. Virgil moved to South Bend in 1941 to work at Ball Band where he became a R & D chemist and eventually product manager for the Adhesives and Coatings Division. Virgil retired from Uniroyal in 1982 after forty years. He also proudly served in WWII with the Navy in the South Pacific. Virgil has spent the last thirty years as a craftsman in his wood shop, working in the garden and most importantly being a dad, grandpa and great grandpa extraordinaire.
Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 S. Michigan St. South Bend where a rosary will be recited at 4:00 p.m. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 19 at St. Jude Catholic Church, 19704 Johnson Road, South Bend. Memorial contributions may be made to Izaak Walton League of St. Joseph County, 20400 Darden Road, South Bend, IN 46637, The Memorial Health Foundation, 615 N. Michigan St. South Bend, IN 46601 or the South Bend Center for the Homeless, 813 S. Michigan St. South Bend, IN 46601. Online condolences may be sent to www.palmerfuneralhomes.com