Willis J Roeber

Willis Jerome Roeber, 86, of Emerson, NE died Friday, August 7, 2020, at the Pender Community Hospital in Pender, NE.  Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2020, at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Emerson, NE; Reverend Martin Russell will be officiating.  Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 9, 2020, at St. Luke Lutheran Church.  Burial with Military Honors will be held at 11:15 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2020, at Rose Hill Cemetery in Emerson, NE.  Following the burial, the family invites everyone to the Emerson Volunteer Fire Department for lunch and fellowship.  Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation.  Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Emerson.

All services are open to the public.  If you plan to attend any of the services, please wear a face mask and respect social distancing.  

Willis was born on April 22, 1934, to George and Elsie (Lessman) Roeber in Wakefield, NE.  He was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wakefield, NE.  Willis attended country school and graduated from Emerson High School in 1951.  Willis enlisted into the US Army in January 1955 and was honorably discharged in January 1957.  Willis married Janice Bonderson on June 8, 1958, at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Emerson.  Together the couple farmed until Willis retired in 2004 at the age of 70. During this time Willis was also employed by Dakota County as a heavy equipment operator, retiring after 19 years. 

A family man first, Willis was soft spoken and loved spending time with his loved ones and attending family gatherings. He was a man of deep faith and a long-standing member of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Emerson where he served in several positions. For decades, Willis served his church by helping as a Sunday School teacher and a council member. A perpetual handyman, Willis was constantly fixing things whether it was carpentry, metal fabrications or working on engines.  

Willis is survived by his wife, Janice; sons, Mark Roeber of Wayne, NE, Brian (Eva) Roeber of Gretna, NE; daughters, Liane (Douglas) Welte of Sioux City, IA, Nadine (Pete) Thompson of Omaha, NE; grandchildren, Anthony Roeber, Amanda Roeber, Ashley (Tony) Bracht, Brett (Naomi) Welte, Jay (Stefanie) Welte, Dean Welte, Joe (Cassandra) Roeber, Jennifer Roeber, Nick Thompson, Madeline (Shamare Madlock) Thompson; 13 great grandchildren; sister, Frances Hiemstra of Aurelia, IA; brothers, Verlyn (Lois) Roeber of Emerson, NE, Eugene (Mary) Roeber of Thurston, NE; brother-in law, Rodney (Jane) Bonderson of Emerson, NE.

Willis is preceded in death by his parents, George and Elsie Roeber; parents-in-law, Virgil and Lillian Bonderson; sister-in-law, Marlys Roeber; brother-in-law, Lester Hiemstra; infant grandson Joshua Thompson.