Oscar Paul Weidler

Oscar Paul Weidler, 77, of Stevensville, died Monday, March 13, 2006, at Lakeland Hospital, St. Joseph. A Memorial Service will be held 1:00 P.M., Thursday, March 16, 2006, with Rev. Dr. Christopher Noffke officiating at Zion United Church of Christ, 9100 Church St., Baroda. Friends may call on the family from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., Wednesday, at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorial donations may be made in Oscar’s name to Zion United Church of Christ in Baroda. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Oscar was born December 29, 1928 in Storm Lake, Iowa to Rev. Carl Jacob and Elsa (Gafka) Weidler. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree at Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1950, and his Masters Degree at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN in 1952. He was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity. From 1952 to 1969, he was the principle Physical Therapist at Mercy hospital. For the next twenty years, he ran his own commercial insurance company, Weidler Associates, Inc. Winter or summer Oscar could be found on his tractor. He had a passion for politics, his church and choir. Among his many interests were genealogy, Western movies, tinkering and keeping in touch by phone. Oscar is survived by Hetty McCray Weidler, to whom he was married from 1949 to 1994, and their children – Gregory (Merle Jaffe) Weidler of Philadelphia, PA, Bruce (Loretta) of St. Joseph, MI, Rodney Weidler of Eau Claire, MI, and Grant (Susan) of Houston, TX; seven grandchildren – Blaire, Tasha, Tiana, Bruce, Matt, Erin, and Holly; his wife Barbara (Pape) Hardy (1996-2006); step children Noel (Bob) Bash of Stevensville, MI, Diana Hardy (Dave Viner) of Los Angeles, CA, Christina Hardy of New York City, NY; three step-grandchildren – Emily, Austin, and Aurelia; two sisters – Miriam Winkler of Lincoln, NE, and Cordelia Sterling of Sterling, AK. He was preceded in death by two brothers – Mark and Calvin Weidler.