Bernard John Thilges

Bernard J. Thilges, 82, of Fort Dodge, passed away Thursday, March 10, 2016 at the Marian Home. Funeral Services will be Monday, March 14th 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel of the Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home and 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church with Msgr. Kevin McCoy officiating. Burial will be in North Lawn Mausoleum with Military Rites conducted by the V.F.W. Post 1856 and the U.S. Army Honor Guard. A visitation will be Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a Rosary at 3:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Bernard is survived by his children, David (Karla) Thilges of Fairfax; Debra (Mitch) Waage of Belmond; Kevin (Tina) Thilges of Lexington, MO; Barbara (Doug) Boyington of Humboldt; Tom Thilges of Higginsville, MO; Charles (Judy) Thilges of McMurray, PA; step-children, Linda Prather of Spirit Lake; John (Julie) Prather of Fort Dodge; Stephanie (Rich) Albright of Fort Dodge; 12 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren with 2 more on the way; 12 step-grandchildren; 2 step-great-grandchildren; his sisters, Evelyn (Donald) Lickteig of Algona; Karen (Sylvester)Berte of Lu Verne; Marlene (Tom) Altman of Irvington; Kathy (Doug) Legg of Quincy, IL; Luella Banwart of West Bend; ...[more]

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ine (Gerald) Reding of Algona; LeAnn (Kenny) Traub of West Bend; brothers, Robert (Darlene) Thilges of West Bend and LeRoy (Wanda) Thilges of Fort Dodge. He was preceded in death by his parents, Felix and Eulalia (Besch) Thilges; wife, Charlotte; step-son, Alan (Rock) Prather; and his brother-in-law, Gary Banwart. Bernard John Thilges was born August 4, 1933 in West Bend and was raised on a farm near there. He graduated from West Bend High School in 1951 and was enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954. He was honorably discharged in 1955. On March 2, 1957 he was united in marriage to Mary Kingsley and the couple established their home in West Bend. He continued farming in the West Bend area until 1966. Bernard formed his own construction company called Thilges Construction. He moved to Fort Dodge in 1971 and worked at Stark Stormor Sales until 1991. The couple later divorced. On August 20, 1988 he was united in marriage to Charlotte Fuller and the couple made their home in Fort Dodge. Bernard was employed at Prinsco Tile for three years until retiring in August of 1995. He was a member of Sacred Heart Church. To Bernard's grandchildren he will always be known as "grandpa grumpy" and to his great grandchildren as "grandpa danger". A special thank you to the Marian Home and to Hospice for their loving care of our father. Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.