Joe Willenbring

Joseph John “J.J.” Willenbring, age 92 Cold Spring June 3, 1918 – July 14, 2010 Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 17, 2010 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Cold Spring, MN for Joseph John “J.J.” Willenbring, age 92, who died Wednesday at the Assumption Nursing Home. Entombment will be in the St. Boniface Parish Cemetery. Relatives and friends may call after 4:00 p.m. Friday and from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning at the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring. Parish Prayers will be at 4:00 p.m. followed by a rosary with the Knights of Columbus. The Cold Spring American Legion and VFW will pray at 8:00 p.m. Joe (also known as J.J.) was born in Richmond, MN to Herman and Lucy (Schulte) Willenbring. He married Renee Oster on June 16, 1947 in St. Boniface Church, Cold Spring. Joe graduated from Eden Valley High School in 1936. He attended St. John’s University from 1939 to 1942, graduating in three years in order to enlist in the United States Navy as our country went to war. Joe attended midshipman school at Notre Dame. He then served his country during World War II in the Mariana Islands in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. Joe was a Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade advancing to Senior Grade. Over the years he kept in touch with several of his shipmates. Upon returning from the war, Joe attended St. Paul College of Law (now known as William Mitchell) and graduated in 1950. He was admitted to the Bar in January 1951. Joe’s first job was with the St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company in Fargo, ND as a claim adjuster. In 1955 Joe and Renee returned to Central Minnesota. Joe practiced law in Cold Spring for 31 years (1955 – 1985) first with partner Francis Russell. Later, the law firm became known as Willenbring, Lickteig, and Dahl; and finally, Willenbring, Dahl, Wocken, and Zimmerman. Joe and Renee celebrated 63 years together and raised four children. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and counselor/mentor to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He loved life and felt blessed and thankful for his family and the many wonderful experiences he enjoyed throughout his lifetime. Joe and Renee were long time members of a couples’ bridge club, and of the ‘Ball and Chain Club’. They also enjoyed bowling. Joe was a founding member of Rich Spring Golf Club and later belonged to the River Oaks Golf Course. He sang with the Cold Spring Area Maennerchor for many years. Joe was a huge proponent of education, he loved music, and he was an avid sports fan. His favorite past time was attending baseball, basketball, and football games at St. John’s University and ROCORI High School. Family, friends and neighbors alike frequently received Joe’s famous banana bread that he baked during his retirement years. Joe is the past president of the following organizations; Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce, Cold Spring Lion’s Club, Central MN St. John’s University Alumni Association and Stearns-Benton Bar Association. Joe was the first Grand Knight of Columbus in Cold Spring. He was the First Chairman of the Board of Education for ROCORI High School (From inception through the building of the high school). Joe (along with other leaders in the community) was instrumental as well as the driving force behind the formation of the ROCORI School District. Joe was a member St. James Parish in Jacobs Prairie and St. Boniface Parish, Cold Spring American Legion and Cold Spring VFW. Joe is survived by his loving wife, Renee; children, Bede (Vonnie) of New Hope, Catherine (Brian) Schmucker of Cold Spring, Michael (Joan) of Jacobs Prairie, Thomas of St. Cloud. Grandpa Joe will be greatly missed by his grandchildren, Andrew (Rebecca), Joseph (Jessi) and Rosemary, Aaron (Betsy), Nicole (Dallas) Apold, Kathryn and Amy Schmucker; James (Janet), Robert (Amanda), Noah (Kari), John, Thomas, and Baylee; great-grandchildren, Megan, Chelsea, Soren, Hanna, Adam, James, Abigail; sister, Amelia Bibeau of Cold Spring; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bede and Cyril, Paul and Eugene; sisters, Cecelia Doubek and Juiletta Moore; great-grandson, Isaac. A special thank you to the staff at Assumption Court and Nursing Home in Cold Spring and Heartland Hospice for their loving care of Joe.