Wilbert H. "Webb" Oberheide

Wilbert H. Oberheide age 99 passed away on July 20, 2024 at KC Hospice House . ( Biography written by Wilbert} I was born on January 25, 1925. to Dietrich and Margaret Tinken Oberheide on a dirt-poor farm In Miami County., Kansas 10 miles from Paola and 2.2 miles from Block. Block had a general store and a blacksmith shop run by my Grandfather Tinken. My grandmother on my mother’s side was a Block, one of the original settlers. My father was the type that would never comfort me when I was unhappy so I lost a lot of respect for him. My mother was a very gracious woman and a hard worker. Then tragedy struck and my sister, two years older than me, got an ear infection and died on Christmas day in 1929. I don’t think my mother ever recovered from that and became overly protective. I lost some respect for her too.

I went to the Lutheran Grade School during the Depression years. My parents had a hard time on the farm because of drought, dust storms and grasshopper infestations. It didn’t get better until the war started in Europe in 1939.

I got through grade school and went to work doing anything I could find. Top wages were 50 cents an hour. In 1951 I got married and went to California and worked in the aircraft industry for two years, then came back to Kansas.

My marriage failed and ended in divorce in 1974. For a number of years I felt I had no purpose in life. I compared myself to tumbleweed, just rolling along. One day I was looking at my baptismal and confirmation records. They always contained a Bible verse. And, there it was what I was looking for. It was just like the Lord was talking to me personally. The verse said “I am your shield and exceedingly great reward.”

That was it. I knew that whatever happened I had a shield. Things got a lot better. I married the love of my life, Virginia Transue, and we both liked to travel. We went to Europe three times and Israel once, that was the highlight, when you can walk the Via Dolorosa from Pontius Pilate’s court to Golgotha.

I became a welder for the Smith and Loveless manufacturing company for many years before retiring.

I was preceded in death by my parents, three sisters Lorene Oberheide, Nora Block, and Frieda Oberheide.

Survivors are his wife of the home, step children, Elizabeth House, Vicki Knight, Kevin Knight, Kristi Orte, 7 grandchildren and 7 great grandkids. He will dearly be missed by family and friends.

Visitation will be at the Trinity Lutheran Church at 10am July 25th with graveside following at 11am at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery.

Memorials to Trinity Lutheran Church or KC Hospice House in care of Dengel and Son 305 N. Pearl Paola, KS 66071