Verena Wester

Verena A. (Burmesch) Wester of Port Washington, Wis., was called home to her loving God on May 2, 2021, at Lincoln Village Assisted Living in Port Washington, at the age of 94.  

Verena was born on July 10, 1926, to John and Margaret (Binsfeld) Burmesch on the family farm in the Town of Fredonia, near Holy Cross, Wisconsin.   

As a child, she loved her pet cats and life on the farm.

Verena attended Holy Cross Grade School, St. Mary’s High School in Port Washington and graduated from Port Washington High School in 1943.  

During World War II, Verena was employed in the office of Smith Bros. Fish Shanty Restaurant in Port Washington, and throughout the war she dated the love of her life, Pvt. Bertram “Bert” Wester, who served in Burma, Bangladesh and India.  

On June 29, 1946, Verena married Bert at Holy Cross Church in Holy Cross. The couple farmed her parents’ farm until moving to Belgium, Wis., in 1951.

Verena was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and homemaker.

After her children were in school, she was employed as credit manager at Philipp Sales, Inc. in Belgium. She later worked as credit manager at Allen-Edmonds Shoe Corp. in Port Washington.  

Verena and her husband Bert were founders of the American Legion Post 410 in Fredonia and co-founders of the American Legion Post 412 in Belgium.  

Verena served as charter president of the American Legion Auxiliary in Belgium.  She was currently a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Belgium and of St. John XXIII Parish in Port Washington.

Verena had a strong faith in God which was evident in how she lived her daily life. She found spiritual strength in her personal prayer, in celebrating Mass and the sacraments, in praying the rosary and in being a part of church community. She had a special devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help and St. Anthony.  

Deeply proud of her Luxembourg heritage, Verena spoke fluent Luxembourgish all of her life and enjoyed Luxembourgish food, traditions, relatives and visitors from Luxembourg, and her three visits there. Her life was deeply rooted in faith, family and community.

Verena is survived by her sons, John (Valerie) Wester of South Orleans, Mass., Joseph (Susan) Wester of Sun City West, Ariz., and Kevin Wester of Milwaukee, and daughter Barbara (Michael) Beattie of Port Washington, along with seven grandchildren, Matthew (Lucy) Wester, Morgan (Jeff) Carder,  Tom (Meredith) Wester, Laura (Evan John) Wester, Scott (Sara) Janeshek, Brian Janeshek and Mark (Colleen) Janeshek, and great-grandchildren Eliana Wester, Trent Carder, Reese Carder, Stuart Janeshek, Sullivan Janeshek and Sienna Janeshek; in-laws, Jim and Lucille Wester and Gordon and Mary Thill; as well as nephews and nieces; special friend Fred Hang; former neighbors and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years Bert, who died July 16, 2016; her infant son, Tommy Wester; parents John and Margaret (Binsfeld) Burmesch; sisters, Elsie (Burmesch) Weyker Reiter and Leona (Burmesch) Anzia; brothers-in-law Gregor Weyker, Bill Reiter and Alvin Anzia; and in-laws Herb and Beatrice (Wester) Krier and Robert and Beatrice (Wester) Thill.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. John XXII Parish, St. Peter of Alcantara Catholic Church, 1800 N. Wisconsin St., Port Washington, Wis., on Friday, May 7, 2021, at 6:30 p.m.  

There will be no visitation prior to Mass.

Following Mass, there will be dessert and visiting with family and friends at Lepanto Banquet Hall at Country Inn & Suites, 350 E. Seven Hills Rd., Port Washington. Masks are to be worn and social distancing will be practiced.

A private burial will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Lake Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Bells of St. Mary’s Inc., P. O. Box 135, Belgium, WI 53004, or they can be mailed to Kevin Wester, 1707 N. Prospect Ave., 10B, Milwaukee, WI 53202.  

Memorials will support the building of a bell tower in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Lake Church, to house the three historic bells of St. Mary’s Church.

Poole Funeral Home/Crematory, Port Washington, Wis., is assisting the family. Information and condolences are available at www.poolefh.com or (262) 284-4431.