On April 11, 2015, Bernie “Red” Vogt, 71, climbed on to his 1958 International Harvester pulling tractor, Wild Cherry, and made his final full pull through the pearly gates of Heaven.

Bernard Joseph Vogt was born June 4, 1943, to Gertrude Vogt (nee Wulff) and the late Norbert J. Vogt in East St. Louis. He graduated from Ss. Peter & Paul High School in 1961. On Aug. 23, 1969, he married the love of his life, Sharon Vogt (nee Knott).

They had two children: Lisa (Matt) Baczynski and the late Eric Vogt.

He was an Army Reservist.

Bernard was a lifelong farmer. He worked many years as a backhoe operator for Ehret Inc. and was a member of Local 520 Operating Engineers until going out on his own and founding Vogt Excavating. He presently was owner of Dirt Cheap and sold top soil and fill dirt.

He was a proud member of the Waterloo Optimist Club and served on the Monroe County Planning Commission and Building Commission for more than 20 years.

Bernard was an avid tractor puller and won numerous pulls including the 2007 Southern Nationals Antique Tractor Pull in which he took first in the 5,500 pound 8 mph class, beating out more than 30 other tractors. He also made the cover of The Hook, a tractor pulling magazine.

Along with his mother, wife and daughter, Bernard also leaves behind his mother-in-law, Verna Knott; aunt and uncle, Willis and Norma Jean Long; cousin Susan Ward; brother-in-law Gary Knott; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He also leaves a god son, Wyatt Embrich.

He was preceeded in death by his son, Eric Vogt; father, Norbert J Vogt; father-in-law, Vernon Knott; and brother-in-law, Dale Knott.

Bernard requested a memorial Mass which will be held Saturday, April 18, at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo at 2 p.m.

A Celebration of Life meal will follow the service at Karban’s Knotty Pines Banquet Facility in Paderborn. Maps to the hall will be given out at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice of Southern Illinois, a nonprofit organization whose help was invaluable during the last few weeks of Bernard’s life.