JOHN WUESTEFELD
John Wuestefeld, 75 years old of Dover, passed away on Tuesday, December 29, surrounded by family as they held him tightly. John was one of a kind. He had the kindest, most gentle soul and exuded compassion from the moment you met him. He would sit and talk for hours with someone he just met, making that person feel like they had been friends forever. John also loved to reminisce about the old days with nearly everyone in town. Whether it was the ruckus they were creating around town, avoiding the ruler from the nuns at the school, working on tractors and with the cows, or just having a good time, John always had a story to take part in.
In January 1970, John met Babs, a girl from Delhi, at Alexanders in Clifton. They immediately clicked and the rest is history. He wowed Babs with his blue ’65 Super Sport with white interior that was in pristine condition and always spotless. A city girl with a country boy was an interesting combination, but they had nothing but fun. They loved to travel together, to the beach, to the mountains, anywhere as long as they were together. Along their travels, John would always bring home boulders that had a unique shape or design. Putting these to good use, he sprinkled some of his favorite boulders into the fireplace he built for their forever home. It is fun to look at that fireplace and talk about the memories that go with each stone he laid. Family vacations were always the highlight of every summer. Money was tight, but family vacations were mandatory because, for Babs and John, it was a priority to take time to be together and make new memories.
Following in the footsteps of John’s mother, Edith Andres Wuestefeld, he studied at The College of Mortuary Science, graduating in 1962. He loved these days of working alongside of her and learned how to master the craft of funeral service under her guidance at the family business, Andres Funeral Home. They worked together until her untimely death in 1979, which shook the town of Dover. John stood strong for his mom’s funeral and continued on the tradition with being the family’s fourth generation funeral director, eventually changing the name to Andres-Wuestefeld Funeral Home. John’s gentle soul helped console so many families in our community, being a pillar of strength and trust when families needed it the most. His kindness will never be forgotten.
John always put others first, sacrificing his time and efforts without thinking twice. But, to John it wasn’t a sacrifice, it was just what you did. It was part of being a husband, a dad, a brother, a friend, a neighbor, and a part of the community that he loved so dearly. But, when he could spend time doing the things he loved, he would spend time with his grandkids. Grandpa adored his “little fellers” and they loved riding with him on the tractor, wrestling with him, shooting guns, or just playing around. John also loved his days when he could spend time with his cows or just riding on the tractor. He enjoyed simply pushing dirt around on his dozer or any of his equipment. A true country boy till the end he would spend endless hours at the farm. John was a member of the US Air Force Reserves and belonged to St. Joseph Legion Post 464.
John will be greatly missed by his wife of 50 years, Barbara; his children Nicole (Patrick) Becknell of Dover, Krista (Mark) Kirchgassner of Dover, and Michael (Katie) Wuestefeld of Florence, KY; grandchildren Chase and Colton Bellman, Parker and Braden Becknell, Tommy, Maggie and Emma Kirchgassner, Jack, Ben, and Lainey Wuestefeld; silbings Charlie (Rosalee) Wuestefeld, Sue (Dave) VanSkyhawk, Rose (Jim) Ferry, Margaret (Wayne) Busse, and brother-in-law George Hartman. He is preceded in death by his parents Elmer and Edith (Andres) Wuestefeld and siblings Larry Wuestefeld and Elaine Hartman.
Visitation for John will be held on Saturday, January 2, beginning with the Rosary at 9:45 a.m., at Andres-Wuestefeld Funeral Home and visitation from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be at All Saints Parish, St. John’s Church, at 1:30 p.m., with Father Jonathan Meyer presiding. Burial will immediately follow at Huber-Briggs Cemetery at the corner or Indiana 1 and Zimmer Road. Mass will also be lived streamed at https://www.youtube.com/user/aspweeklyhomily.