Obituary of Ralph John Wieneke

LEXINGTON-Funeral services for Ralph John Wieneke, 87, of Lexington will be held at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, 119 N. Church Street in Lexington, SC at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, October 1st at Thompson Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel, on Augusta Hwy. If preferred in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in his memory. Mr. Wieneke went Home to his Heavenly Father Saturday, September 28, 2013. Born in Winnepeg Canada, he was the son of the late Harold and Gabrielle Wieneke of Detroit, MI. Predeceasing him were his wife of 49 years Elaine May Wieneke, grandchildren Brian and Kelly Lowery, brother Frank Wieneke, and sister Evelyn (and brother-in-law Larry) Larson. Surviving are his wife, Charlotte Wieneke; daughters, Rhonda Murphy of VA, Terry (Clinton) Lowery and Carol (Ethan) Nussbaum of Lexington, Laurie (Dale) Owens; and son, James (Bernarda) Wieneke of Gilbert; grandchildren, Dennis Murphy, Karen Murphy Crosby, Danny and Aimee Lowery, Mark Bethany and Matt Nussbaum, April Owens Hamilton, Jimmy, Brandon and Johnathan Owens and Elaine Wieneke; great-grandchildren, Brandon Murphy and Coleen Crosby, Kristen, Brooke and Bryant Lowery (Danny), Aubree Lowery Pollock (Aimee), Zoe and Connor Hamilton, Christian and Kyleigh Owens (Jimmy), Chloe and Alex Owens (Brandon), Karis Owens (Johnathan); and step-children, Dale (Sherry) Carraher, Charles (Cheryl) Carraher, Patty (Richard) Williams of Florence, and Linda (Al) Ringwald of Montana, as well of nieces, nephews and many friends. Mr. Wieneke proudly served in World War II in the Canadian Air Force and the American Army, participating in the Battle of the Bulge. He also received a Bronze Star for his service in a combat zone. He was a longtime member of the V.F.W. after the war. He worked for Chrysler and had a long-time employment as a Systems Analyst with IBM, before retiring from IBM in Lexington, SC. He enjoyed singing in the church for many years as a member of St. Stephen's Lutheran Church. He enjoyed playing the French horn in a New Orleans Symphony, loved listening to music, reading and his lifelong hobbies of hunting, fishing, gun club activities, telling jokes and especially, telling stories and sharing pictures of his times during the war. Mr. Wieneke will remain much loved and very much missed by all. Rest in peace Husband, father and friend; we will see you again in Heaven.