Wilbert C. “Whips” Haberl

Wilbert C. “Whips” Haberl, 90, of Waterloo, died Feb. 11, 2017, at Columbia Care Center.

He was born April 28, 1926, in Renault, eldest son of the late John and Norma Haberl (nee Schook).

He was a lifelong member of Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Waterloo. During World War II, he enlisted in the Navy and served on the USS Klaskanine, a tanker that refueled ships in the South Pacific.

He was a lifetime member of the Waterloo VFW. For 31 years, he was an iron worker at Monsanto Company in Sauget.

After retiring, he worked part-time as a custodian at Gibault Catholic High School. For many years he was a Khoury League coach who taught the fundamentals of baseball to a generation of young boys.

He was an avid bowler, quitting only when the Bee Hive Bowl closed. Well-known for his sense of humor and many friends, “Whips” enjoyed basketball, baseball and fishing with his sons.

His large surviving family includes his wife, Merdel (nee Mueller); sons and daughters-in law, Kurt and Ann (nee Reichmann), Chris and Judy (nee Wittenauer), Ken and Melanie (nee Kittel), Brian and Marilyn (nee Straub), Jeff and Gina (nee Gehrs); daughter, Karen and Kent Jones; 12 grandchildren, Jim (Betsy) Haberl, Ellie (James) Foster, John (Chiara) Haberl, Jill (Joe) Steffens, David Haberl, Denise Haberl, Stephanie (Jim) Johnston, Annie Peters, Ben Haberl, Erika Hughes, Erinne Haberl and Melissa Haberl; 11 great-grandchildren, Ollie, Annie, Nathan, Kate, Lucy, Patrick, Sofia, Aidan, Casper, Lily and James; two sisters, Joyce (Lehr), and Emma Jean (Helfrich); a brother, Jerry; and a brother-in-law, Stanley “Butch” Lehr.

Besides his parents, he is preceded in death by his granddaughter Erika Christine Haberl, brother Marvin Haberl, and brother-in-law Victor Helfrich.

Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Feb. 16, and 8-10 a.m. Feb. 17, at Quernheim Funeral Home.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 17, at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Waterloo, Msgr. Carl Scherrer officiating.

Interment will follow at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery, Waterloo.

As an expression of sympathy the family prefers memorial contributions to Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church or the Ss. Peter & Paul Grade School  in Waterloo tuition assistance fund.