Barney Martin Ermels was born June 15, 1909 to Bernhard and Christina Klein Ermels. He died Jan. 3, 1975 and is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Webster City, IA.
Chief Warrant Officer Ermels served with the U.S. Navy Seabees in World War II.
Obituary:
Funeral services for Barney M. Ermels, 65, widely known Webster City businessman, were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic church with Father Joseph Sullivan and Father B.G. Collins celebrating the funeral mass.
Burial was held at Graceland cemetery with the flag-folding ceremony conducted by the American Legion Post 191 and the VFW Post 5724.
Rosary was conducted Sunday evening at 8 o’clock at the Foster Funeral home.
Mr. Ermels died Friday at the Hamilton County hospital where he had been a patient the past 12 months. He had been in ill health the past five years.
Barney M. Ermels, son of Bernhard and Christina Klein Ermels, was born July 15, 1909, at Webster City. He was reared and educated in Webster City. During World War II he served as a chief warrant officer with the U.S. Navy in the Seabee division.
He was married Aug. 29, 1945 to Gertrude Mertz, and the couple had always since made their home in Webster City.
He and his brother, Peter Ermels, owned and operated the Central Heating plant in Webster City for a number of years. They later engaged in the heating, plumbing and air conditioning contracting business, the firm being known as Ermels Bros.
He is survived by his wife; two brothers, Carl Ermels of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Peter Ermels of Webster City; one sister, Mrs. Frank Martha Saul of Webster City; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic church, the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, the VFW, and the Elks lodge.
Pallbearers for the services included Joe Lukehart, Reinhardt Andersen, Lloyd Karr, Darwin Williams, Ed Clabaugh and John Peterson. Honorary pallbearers were Elston Olmstead, Harold Stark, Charles Baxter, Dave Campbell, K.P. Peterson, Carlton Crosley, Paul Osweiler and Richard Karr.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Jan 6, 1975
