Emil Weyerts, 95, of Gurley, passed away Monday evening, January 1, 2024 at his home.
Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at the Weyerts Immanuel Lutheran Church near Lodgepole with Pastor Leon "Bud" Gillespie officiating. Burial will follow in the Weyerts Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday evening at the church.
Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Homes in Oshkosh and Chappell is serving the Weyerts family.
Memorials can be made to the Weyerts Lutheran Church or to the Gurley Fire Department.
Emil Harm Weyerts was born February 26, 1928, on the family farm in rural Cheyenne County to Henry and Louise (Folster) Weyerts. He was baptized and confirmed at Weyerts Church. He started repairing watches and clocks while attending District 80 school in the 1930’s. He continued helping his father with the farm, blacksmith shop and his carpenter work and began to do autobody and painting work there. He was drafted into the army in 1951 and served his time.
Emil married E’Laine Reichman on May 10, 1953, in Chappell and they moved to Gurley. They bought 4 lots, moved a house in, built and started the autobody shop in Gurley.
Emil enjoyed antique cars, starting the Trailblazer antique car club in 1962, Maytag washing machines, serving on the National Maytag Collectors Club Board of Directors, manufacturing parts for the antiques and small engines Emil and Eli collected, and going dancing every Saturday night and some Sunday afternoons.
He served 45 years on the Gurley Fire Department and Rescue Unit, with 20 years as Assistant Chief, 27 years on the village council serving as mayor for 14 years, and several years on the Votech College auto body school advisory board. He was a member of the Weyerts American Legion and the Elks.
He is survived by his wife, E’Laine of Gurley; his children, Eli Weyerts and Edith (Delane) Hutcheson; grandchildren, Jeremy (Maren) Harms and their children, William, Brittany, Greta, and Nora, Brandon (Nikki) Harms and their children, Dennis, Levi and Regan, Caleb (Jordan) Weyerts, Brianna (Zac) Jones and their son, Felix, and Levi Weyerts; and many other extended family members and friends.
Emil was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Katherine and Marie; and brother, Walter.