Wilber "Bill" Kirchhofer

December 21, 1913 - January 23, 2011

Wilbur “Bill” Kirchhofer, 97, a resident of Berne, Indiana passed away at 6:04 p.m. Sunday, January 23, 2011 at the Swiss Village Retirement Community in Berne.

Bill was born on December 21, 1913 in Adams County, Indiana the son of Amos and Emma (Huser) Kirchhofer, both deceased. He married Laura Sprunger on March 21, 1937 and she preceded him in death in 2008.

Bill was a member of the First Mennonite Church in Berne. He was a carpenter by trade but also farmed and raised turkeys early in his life. He was employed by Reiff Construction of Bluffton, Indiana and later by Habegger Builders of Berne where he retired from with thirty years of service. Bill and Laura were volunteers at Camp Gilead for thirty years and Bill also served as a Wabash Township 4-H leader.

Bill is survived by a son, Robert (Carol) Kirchhofer of Fort Wayne, Indiana; a son, James (Bonnie) Kirchhofer of South Haven, Minnesota; a son, Marvin (Nancy) Kirchhofer of Elida, Ohio; a daughter, Evelyn (Paul) Norr of Berne; and a daughter, Betty (James) LeFever of Berne. Other survivors include thirteen grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren.

Bill was preceded in death by his brother, Rufus Kirchhofer and two sisters, Florence Lehman and Irene Kirchhofer.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 27, 2011 at the First Mennonite Church Chapel with the Pastor Jerry Flueckiger and the Pastor Kent Norr officiating. Interment will be in the M.R.E. Cemetery of rural Berne.

Family and friends will be received from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at the Swiss Village Chapel and one hour prior to the funeral service at the First Mennonite Church Chapel on Thursday.

Preferred memorials are to Camp Gilead or the First Mennonite Church Building Fund.