David "Dave" Wimpelberg

David “Dave” Wimpelberg, 85, of Converse, IN passed away at 7:28 PM, Friday, July 5, 2024, at his residence from a heart attack while working in the yard. He was born in Marion, IN on October 8, 1938, the son of John and Blanche Clayton Wimpelberg. Dave married Diana Cunningham of Converse on October 13, 1968 after working with her at the Post Office, and she survives. Dave went to elementary school at Evans School on East 38th Street in Marion then attended Van Buren High School. He was in the class of 1956 but quit in his senior year and joined the US Navy at the age of 17 earning his GED in the Navy. He was with the VR7 – VR8 Military Air Transport Squadron and stationed at Moffit Field in Hawaii as a flight crewman on a USS Constellation military plane. He and his crew helped evacuate our wounded from Vietnam as well as other military and their dependents from other Far East countries. He was especially proud of walking the perimeter of President Eisenhower’s plane, guarding it against any threat, while Eisenhower was in Hawaii on official business. The President’s plane was a “Super Connie”, the same type of plane Dave served on as a crewman. Dave was a jack of all trades. After completing his Navy tour, he began working as a Marion scheme clerk at the US Postal Service, ultimately retiring from there with 25 years. But he pursued other job opportunities along the way. His dream of being his own boss became a reality when he used his automotive degree in automobile mechanics as the manager and operator of the Sweetser Marathon station. He worked for town of Van Buren as a Deputy Town Marshall and operator of the Waterworks and Wastewater Treatment Plant as well as other duties such as firefighting runs, assisting with the Annual Popcorn Festival, morgue duty, digging cemetery graves, and overseeing work crews of troubled youth teaching them responsibility. He and Diana packed up the four children and moved to Orange Heights, Florida to live near close family and have year-round warm weather. Dave worked as a correctional officer at the Florida State Prison and then advanced as a vocational instructor to inmates helping them learn the trade of becoming waste water treatment operators. After five years, Dave and family missed other family in Indiana and moved back where Dave was immediately rehired at the Marion Post Office. After retiring from the Post Office, Dave was not pleased with staying at home and became a driver for Southworth Ford where he worked for another 29 years before finally settling into a proper retirement at the age of 83. Surviving in addition to his wife, Diana, are his children Nancy Firestone, Madisonville, KY, Daniel Wimpelberg, London, England, Debbie (Ned) Walker, Richmond, VA and Thom (Cara) Wimpelberg, Port-de-Paix, Haiti; grandchildren Brad (Taylor) Firestone, Madison Burd, Sammi (Victor) Rodriguez, Hannah Walker, Jesse Walker, Riley Angel, Chase Wimpelberg, Evelyn Wimpelberg and Paige Wimpelberg; great-grandchildren Jason Burd, Ellie Firestone, Eleanor Rodriguez and Cora Burd; sisters Dody (Jerry) Herrmann, Fairmont, IN and Patsy ( Tobey) Goodpaster, Marion, IN and many nieces and nephews and; in-laws Jerry (Susan) Cunningham, Haines City, FL, Billie (Jim) Bowman, Amboy and Buck (Cherry) Cunningham, Amboy and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, parents-in-law Lewis and Gladys (Burke) Cunningham, Converse, a sister Barbara Haag, Evansville in 2021, a granddaughter Mary Ptak, Wisconsin in 2014, and brothers-in-law Gene Cunningham, Amboy in 2015 and Charles Cunningham, Amboy in 1958. A service celebrating the life of David Wimpelberg will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday July 13, 2024, at the Laird-Eddy Funeral Home, 201 North Main Street, Amboy, IN, with Pastor Solomon David officiating. Burial will be in Park Lawn Cemetery, Amboy, IN. Visitation will be from 11:00 AM- 2:00 PM Saturday at the Laird-Eddy Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Sonlight Ministries, PO Box 8031, Evansville, IN 47716.

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