William R. “Bill” Berndt, age 78

William R. “Bill” Berndt, age 78, of Jasper, Indiana, passed away Friday, December 17, 2021, in Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center in Jasper, Indiana. 

Bill was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 29, 1943 to Raymond and Elaine (Morweiser) Berndt.  He married Donna Kolata on September 25, 1965. 

He was an E5 with the Illinois National Guard for 30 years in Riverside, Illinois.  He worked an additional 10 years for RELCO Locomotives, Inc. in Minooka, Illinois, rebuilding locomotive engines  

He enjoyed woodworking and was very talented in mechanics, as he was a heavy equipment operator most of his life, and loved to tinker with many projects involving mechanics. 

Surviving are his wife Donna Berndt, Jasper, IN, two children, Robert (Kerri) Berndt, Iron Mountain, MI, and Jennifer (Greg) Begle, Jasper, IN, seven grandchildren, Laine and Tyler Berndt, Riley and Hannah Fleetwood, Austin Begle, Kelcy Pate, and Amber Begle, 5 great grandchildren, and one sister, Phyllis (Dennis) Jesse, Merrimac, WI, 

Preceding him in death is one son-in-law, Wes Fleetwood. 

A funeral service for William R. Berndt will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Haysville, Indiana, with burial to follow in Fairview Cemetery in Jasper, Indiana.  Pastor Tim Holt will officiate.  The American Legion Post #147 will conduct military graveside rites. 

A visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the 1:00 p.m. service time at the church on Tuesday. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the wishes of the family. 

Online condolences may be made at www.becherkluesner.com.