Ralph E. Wilhelmi

Ralph E. Wilhelmi, 79, of Grand Island died Tuesday, January 22, 2019, at CHI Health St. Francis Skilled Care.



Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday January 26, 2019 at St. Pauls Lutheran Church. The Rev. Edgar Schambach will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island Cemetery.



Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Apfel Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to St. Pauls Lutheran Church.



Ralph E. Wilhelmi was born August 6, 1939, at Grand Island to Ed C. and Clara B. (Lorenzen) Wilhelmi.



Ralph grew up on the family farm northwest of Grand Island and attended District 18 School and Grand Island Senior High School.



Following his education, Ralph went to work for Rainbo Bakery and also helped his father on the farm. He worked for Rainbo Bakery for 15 years along with doing custom baling and running a hog confinement operation.



Ralph married Patty Hopwood on October 4, 1959, at Fullerton, NE.



Following his retirement from Rainbo Bakery, he worked for Novartis Seed Co. for 15 years.



Ralph was a member of St. Pauls Lutheran Church.



He enjoyed volunteering as a 4-H Livestock leader, and playing cards with friends at the feed store. He especially enjoyed time spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.



Ralph and Patty loved to travel, and went on many trips and cruises over the years.



Ralph is survived by his wife, Patty Wilhelmi; a son, Kevin Wilhelmi; a daughter, Cindy (Matt) Kerr all of Grand Island; ten grandchildren, Emily Wilhelmi, Heather Enck, Dustin Joseph, Melissa Joseph, Nathan Wilhelmi, Shea Kerr, Tristan Kerr, Kody Kerr, Lezlea Ryan and Eric Lowman; nine great-grandchildren, Tatum Enck, Kolton Enck, Ryker Enck, Kaelynn Joseph, Isaiah Joseph, Joslynn Joseph, Braden Wilhelmi, Brooklyn Joseph and Rosalie Cortez; and three step-great-grandchildren; one sister Betty Hampton of O’Neill, NE.



He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Darryl Wilhelmi, sister Darlene Smith, twin infant sisters and an infant brother.