Obituary for Rev. Wesley W. Bornemann
Reverend Wesley W. Bornemann, age 96, of Rolla, Missouri, formerly of Edwardsville, Illinois, passed away at the Rolla Presbyterian Manor on Friday, October 7, 2022 with his family by his side.
He was born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 17, 1925 the son of the late Sydney and Marie (Street) Bornemann. He married his first wife, Laverne (Welch) Bornemann, on August 30, 1947,raising five children in their 55 years of marriage before she died in 2002. He married again but lost his wife, Helen A. (Poos) Bornemann, 4 years later on Aug 6, 2008.
He is survived by his wife, Doris (Duffy) Bornemann, to whom he has been married since November 13, 2010. In addition to his wife, he is survived by 4 sons, Timothy (Shareen) of Rolla, Mo, Daniel (Pamela) of Edwardsville, IL, Jeffrey (Shawn) of Birmingham, AL, Eric (Lisa) of Addieville, IL and one daughter, Pamela (Charles) Leonard-Kukorola of Marion, IL. He is also survived by 30 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and many more nieces, nephews, great-nieces and grand-nephews.
In addition to his parents Marie and Sydney, his wives Laverne and Helen, he was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Ian Crowder, his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Shirley and Reverend John Staton and his nephew, Robert Staton.
Wesley attended Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree. He began his career in the ministry as pastor from 1949 at St. Matthew Evangelical and Reformed Church in Forest City and Peace E & R Church in Eden Valley, both in Minnesota. He received a master’s degree in Sacred Theology of the New Testament in 1955 from Union Seminary in New York City.
That same year, he started a new church at St. Mark’s United Church of Christ (UCC) in Bloomington, MN. From 1959 until 1967, Wesley pastored Grace UCC in Chicago. It was during that time that he was active in the movement to merge the UCC and the E & R congregations and served as vice chairman of the interim board of directors after the merger.
In 1967, he became the pastor of Parkway UCC in Minneapolis, serving there until 1973 when he moved to Eden UCC in Edwardsville, IL.
One of the first community actions the church took in 1973 under Wes’ leadership was to purchase the nearby property that it leased to the Edwardsville Senior Center for $1 per year. Extending its ministry past the Edwardsville borders, in 1974 the church established the ministry of The Well as a community outreach center. It was later established as The Well United Church of Christ.
After identifying the need for services for retired and elderly persons the church, led by Reverend Bornemann, became the driving force behind the creation of Eden Village Retirement Community, an institution that is still growing and filling the needs of its residents. After its consideration for the older population, Reverend Bornemann led the church to consider its younger ones by starting the Children’s Garden Preschool.
Wesley was involved outside of the local church as an active member of the Illinois Southern Conference Committees and a member of the board of directors for the Hoyleton Children’s Home. He also had an active role in the national level of the UCC, serving as a delegate to a UCC meeting with church leaders from the Eastern European nations. He was a member of the executive council of the UCC Committees and served on the Biblical Witness Board of Directors. He also served on the boards of UCC Homeland Ministry, Elmhurst College and the Evangelical Hospital Association and their committees.
He served as Eden United Church of Christ’s pastor in Edwardsville, IL for 17 years until he retired in 1990 and became its Pastor Emeritus.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at Eden Church in Edwardsville, IL with the Reverend John Roberts officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Glen Carbon. Memorial contributions may be given to Eden Church.
Friends may register online at www.kalmermemorialservices.com, Kalmer Memorial Services is in charge of arrangements.
He was born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 17, 1925 the son of the late Sydney and Marie (Street) Bornemann. He married his first wife, Laverne (Welch) Bornemann, on August 30, 1947,raising five children in their 55 years of marriage before she died in 2002. He married again but lost his wife, Helen A. (Poos) Bornemann, 4 years later on Aug 6, 2008.
He is survived by his wife, Doris (Duffy) Bornemann, to whom he has been married since November 13, 2010. In addition to his wife, he is survived by 4 sons, Timothy (Shareen) of Rolla, Mo, Daniel (Pamela) of Edwardsville, IL, Jeffrey (Shawn) of Birmingham, AL, Eric (Lisa) of Addieville, IL and one daughter, Pamela (Charles) Leonard-Kukorola of Marion, IL. He is also survived by 30 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and many more nieces, nephews, great-nieces and grand-nephews.
In addition to his parents Marie and Sydney, his wives Laverne and Helen, he was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Ian Crowder, his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Shirley and Reverend John Staton and his nephew, Robert Staton.
Wesley attended Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree. He began his career in the ministry as pastor from 1949 at St. Matthew Evangelical and Reformed Church in Forest City and Peace E & R Church in Eden Valley, both in Minnesota. He received a master’s degree in Sacred Theology of the New Testament in 1955 from Union Seminary in New York City.
That same year, he started a new church at St. Mark’s United Church of Christ (UCC) in Bloomington, MN. From 1959 until 1967, Wesley pastored Grace UCC in Chicago. It was during that time that he was active in the movement to merge the UCC and the E & R congregations and served as vice chairman of the interim board of directors after the merger.
In 1967, he became the pastor of Parkway UCC in Minneapolis, serving there until 1973 when he moved to Eden UCC in Edwardsville, IL.
One of the first community actions the church took in 1973 under Wes’ leadership was to purchase the nearby property that it leased to the Edwardsville Senior Center for $1 per year. Extending its ministry past the Edwardsville borders, in 1974 the church established the ministry of The Well as a community outreach center. It was later established as The Well United Church of Christ.
After identifying the need for services for retired and elderly persons the church, led by Reverend Bornemann, became the driving force behind the creation of Eden Village Retirement Community, an institution that is still growing and filling the needs of its residents. After its consideration for the older population, Reverend Bornemann led the church to consider its younger ones by starting the Children’s Garden Preschool.
Wesley was involved outside of the local church as an active member of the Illinois Southern Conference Committees and a member of the board of directors for the Hoyleton Children’s Home. He also had an active role in the national level of the UCC, serving as a delegate to a UCC meeting with church leaders from the Eastern European nations. He was a member of the executive council of the UCC Committees and served on the Biblical Witness Board of Directors. He also served on the boards of UCC Homeland Ministry, Elmhurst College and the Evangelical Hospital Association and their committees.
He served as Eden United Church of Christ’s pastor in Edwardsville, IL for 17 years until he retired in 1990 and became its Pastor Emeritus.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at Eden Church in Edwardsville, IL with the Reverend John Roberts officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Glen Carbon. Memorial contributions may be given to Eden Church.
Friends may register online at www.kalmermemorialservices.com, Kalmer Memorial Services is in charge of arrangements.