Simon Wuerfel, 88, loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and faithful servant of God, peacefully passed away Friday, December 21, 2018 surrounded by his family. He was born to Friedrich and Olga Wuerfel in Albesti Constanta, Romania (Sarighiol), on November 19, 1930. He was one of seven siblings—Regina, Jakob, Pauline, Heinrich, Erna, and Leontine.
During WWII Simon’s family was uprooted from their home in Romania and found themselves on the move for the duration of the war. They spent about four years in Austria and almost a year in Czechoslovakia before arriving in Southern Germany towards the close of the WWII. Simon did farm work until later when he obtained a job as an apprentice cabinet maker.
Simon’s family immigrated to the United States in 1952. Simon spent his first two years in the United States separate from his family working on a farm in Iowa as part of his immigration sponsorship. Afterwards he moved to Michigan to rejoin his family and there he met his future wife, Eugenia.
The two were married on June 14, 1959, in Muskegon, Michigan. They built their home in Fennville, Michigan, where they lived for 57 years. Simon was a craftsman who loved construction and building.
Not only did he build their Fennville, Michigan home, but he also built much of the furniture that occupied their home. Throughout his career, Simon worked in multiple industries as a furniture maker, boat builder for Chris-Craft, and a tool and die maker for the automotive industry. Each job required its own unique type of attention to detail that he found highly rewarding.
After his official retirement, Simon continued to undertake a variety of construction and remodeling jobs. One of his favorite projects was performing restoration work on the SS Keewatin, a retired passenger ship that sailed the Great Lakes. In his free time, Simon loved fishing, swimming, and boating on Lake Michigan.
He also loved volunteering at his church and helping others. Anytime he heard of a neighbor, friend, or family member who was struggling with a home improvement or repair project, he immediately offered his assistance and handyman skills. Simon is survived by two siblings, Erna Marko, and Leontine Kalivoda; two children, Viola Gaffney (Matthew) of Tooele, Utah and Donald Wuerfel (Amy) of Plano, Texas; grandchildren, Benjamin Gaffney (Carrie), Nicole Richards (Lance), Joshua Gaffney (Annie), Jennifer Gaffney, and Jason Gaffney (Kathryn); and 12 great grandchildren, Jayden, Ethan, Samuel, Ryan, Lillian, Julia, Jonah, Tobias, Josiah, Matthew, Leah, and Malakai.
On Monday December 31st, a memorial service will be held at the Tate Mortuary, 110 South Main Street, Tooele, Utah at 10:00 AM and internment afterwards at the Tooele City Cemetery in Tooele City, Utah.
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