Lewis Berends

Lewis Ernest Berends, 86, of Mount Vernon, died Friday, January 14, 2005, in Hallmark Care and Rehabilitation Center following a long illness. Services 11:00 a.m. Monday, (1-17-05) at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon by the Reverend Mark Gefaller. The family will greet friends from 1:00 until 5:00 p.m. Sunday, at Morgan Funeral and Cremation Choices Mount Vernon Chapel. Graveside services 1:30 p.m. Monday at Lisbon Cemetery. Lewis is survived by his wife Evelyn of Mount Vernon; two daughters: Judith Workman and Susan Berends both of Cedar Rapids; two sons: Robert (Laura) of Greeley, Colorado and James of Denver, Colorado; three grandchildren: Ken, Bethany, and Maggie; one great grandson Robert, all of Colorado; a sister Agnes Lagler of Grant, Nebraska; and many nieces and nephews. Preceding Lewis in death are: his parents, and siblings: Martin, Walter, Elmer, Emma, Louisa, Hilda, and Norma. Lewis was born March 19, 1918 in Platte Center, Nebraska, one of nine children born to Theodore R. and Tena Rosendahl Berends. He attended St. John's Lutheran School north of Columbus, Nebraska. Lewis moved from Platte Center to the Manchester area in 1939. He worked as a farm hand and a carpenter until entering the U.S. Army in March of 1942. Lewis served with the Quartermaster Corps during World War II in both the Pacific and Atlantic theatres of operation. He was honorably discharged in December of 1945. Lewis married Evelyn R. Guetzko on October 24, 1946 in Delaware, Iowa. They moved to Mount Vernon in 1956 where he farmed and worked as a union carpenter until his retirement in 1982. Lewis was one of the early members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Mount Vernon. He donated his time and carpentry talent to the church throughout the years. Lewis loved the challenge of figuring out how to build, fix, or create various construction projects. He enjoyed driving around the countryside, and never saw a road he didn't want to go down. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund in Lewis's name has been established. On line condolences to: morganfuneralchoices.com