Bernie Timmers

Bernard, the fifth of ten children was born to Willem and Adriana Timmers in Uden, Netherlands on February 5, 1917. He attended Crosier College in Uden before immigrating to the United States at the age of nineteen where he joined his uncle, the late Rev. John DeWild in Combined Locks, Wisconsin. He attended Crosier College in Onamia, Minnesota and Hastings, Nebraska. Bernie attended major seminary at St. Paul, Minnesota where he was ordained for the Green Bay Diocese by Archbishop Murray on March 17, 1945. His first assignment was to St. Boniface Church in DePere, Wisconsin. In 1951, he was assigned as Director of Catholic Charities in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and later in Appleton, Wisconsin. In 1957, he became pastor at St. James Church in White Lake Wisconsin and St. Stanislaus Church. In 1961, he was assigned as pastor at St. Paul Church in Combined Locks, Wisconsin where he guided the building of the new church, the rectory, and the education center. After obtaining a dispensation, he married Lucille Rekoske in 1971. Bernie obtained a Master’s Degree in psychiatric social work from Loyola University in Chicago. Bernie was employed as the Director of Children and Adolescent Services at the mental health clinic in Waukegan, Illinois. After retirement, Bernie and Lucy moved to Hemet, California where they lived until April of 2001 when they moved back to Wisconsin. Bernie was a hospice volunteer in Hemet for twenty years. He and Lucy also trained ministers to the elderly in the parishes of the San Bernardino Diocese.

Survivors include his beloved wife: Lucille Timmers; two sisters: Wilma (Martin) Wydeven of Kimberly and Gerarda Eilers of Uden, Netherlands; a brother: Theo (Truus) Timmers of Uden, Netherlands; three sisters-law: Virginia Rekoske of South Milwaukee, Kathleen Rekoske of Hemet, California, and Anna Timmers Nisterode, Netherlands; a brother-in-law: DeLloyd (Odeen) Rekoske of Dallas, Texas; as well as many nieces and nephews, both in the United States and in the Netherlands. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and three sisters, all of the Netherlands.

The funeral liturgy for Bernie will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at ST. PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, 410 E. Wallace Street in Combined Locks with Fr. Robert Vandenberg officiating. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday from 4 – 7 PM and again at the church on Wednesday from 10 AM until the hour of the service. There will be a parish prayer and scripture service at 7 PM Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Lucy would like to extend her gratitude to Drs. Cherkasky, Geller, Koeper, Qureshi, as well as the staff at Dialysis Care and the 4th Floor nursing staff at St. Elizabeth Hospital, as well as to Fr. Bob Vandenberg for his many visits and prayers. Your kindness will never be forgotten.

Jansen Fargo Funeral Home
204 E. Kimberly Avenue
Kimberly, Wisconsin 54136
920-788-6202