The Mass of Christian Burial for William Weniger of Bluffton was celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday January 4, 2025, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Bluffton.

Visitation was held on Friday, January 3, from 4-7 p.m. at St. Ann’s Parish Hall in Wadena with Parish Prayers at 5 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 6 p.m. Visitation resumed at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Bluffton on Saturday from 9 a.m. until the time of the Mass.

Burial will be in St John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery in Bluffton.

  Surrounded by his family, Bill passed away at the age of 85, on December 27, 2024, at Transitions of Perham Living in Perham, with compassionate care by the staff and Hospice of the Red River Valley.

  William Joseph Weniger was born to Alexander and W. Margaret (Brunko) Weniger on July 31, 1939, in Wadena. He attended Parochial school through the eighth grade in Bluffton and was a graduate of Wadena High School in 1957. He was a National Guardsman from 1957 until being honorably discharged in 1965. 

On June 27, 1961, Bill married Regina Lorene Wegscheid at St. John’s Catholic Church in Bluffton. This union was blessed with 10 children, all raised on their farm in Compton Township, Otter Tail County.  For 10 years while dairy farming, Bill also drove a bulk milk truck.  Bill worked one day at a time on his sobriety for the last 45 years.  Then in 1998, as a retirement job, he began hauling freight for Hunke Transfer.  He served on the Bluffton Creamery Board and was a lifetime member of St. John’s Catholic Church.  His hobbies included fishing, hunting, lawn mowing, gardening, playing soft ball, bowling and bird watching.

  Preceding Bill in death were his parents; Alex and Margaret; sibling and in-laws, Sally (Weniger) and Rod Rasmussen, Ed Anderson, Arnie Richter, Paul Malone; and father and mother-in-law Louie and Luella Wegscheid.

  Surviving Bill are his devoted wife of 63 years, Regina; children, Susan (Les) Bergquist of Granite Falls, Minn., David (Terri) of Williamsburg, Va., Richard (Diane) of Blaine, Minn., Donald (Brenda) of Verndale, Ronald (Lisa) of Wadena, Robert (Lu Ann) of Henning, Jean (Trevor) Ahrndt of Danvers, Minn., Harold (Tammy) of Osakis, Minn., Lisa (Brian) Koehn of Parkers Prairie, and Lori (Dennis) Meeks of Wadena; 25 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren; in-laws: Vera Malone, Carolyn Richter, Sr. Luella Wegscheid, Marcy Anderson, Marty and Carol Wegscheid; and many other relatives and a host of friends.” 

  In lieu of flowers, memorials in Bill’s name may be directed to Hospice of the Red River Valley, Perham Living and the Bluffton Fire Department.

  Arrangements with the Schuller Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Wadena (www.SchullerFamilyFH.com)