Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Victor J. Wesselhoft Jr.

ELKHART, Ind. - Victor J. Wesselhoft Jr., 88, of Bristol, passed away Thursday Oct. 8, 2015, at Elkhart General Hospital.

He was born May 16, 1927, in Indianapolis to the late Victor J. and Eleanore (Pardieck) Wesselhoft Sr.

On Sept. 4, 1948, he married Dorothy L. Kost. She preceded him in death on Aug. 28, 1987. He then married Betty Forbes in November of 1990. She survives, along with five children, Karen (Rob) Hillman, of Jones, Mich., Sue (Stephen) Studer, of Mishawaka, Charles (Marie) Wesselhoft, of Vail, Ariz., Steven (Betsy) Wesselhoft, of Ironwood, and Ronald (Carol) Wesselhoft, of Elkhart; and two stepsons, Christopher Forbes, of Union, Mich., and Arthur Forbes, of South Bend. Also surviving are 10 grandchildren; one stepgranddaughter; nine great-grandchildren; one stepgreat-granddaughter; and a brother, Robert (Diane) Wesselhoft, of Austin, Texas. Numerous other family members also survive.

Victor moved to Elkhart in 1930 when Conn bought the Leedy Drum Company and moved the business to Elkhart from Indianapolis. He was a 1945 graduate of Elkhart High School, worked for several years as a draftsman at Fennel Systems, then joined Conn's in 1946 in the Engineering Department. Victor left Conn's in 1955 to start his own one-man advertising agency, commercial art studio and photography business, which he operated until 1992. He continued dealing as an antique camera collector, which began in 1968, attending all shows within a 500-mile radius of Elkhart and also shows in Florida, until the introduction of digital photography killed the antique camera business.

Victor was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church from early childhood until a new church was founded in southern Elkhart in 1960, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, of which he and Dorothy were founding members. Victor helped build many items for the church, including the pulpit and the lectern.

He sang bass in the choir at the church, sang for Goshen's Greencroft Singers for 22 years and also with the Elkhart Symphony Chorus.

The family will receive friends from 1-5 p.m. Sunday at Walley-Mills-Zimmerman Funeral Home and also for one hour prior to the 10 a.m., Monday, Oct. 12, 2015 funeral service at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. Rev. Vicky Blough and Rev. John Kost will be officiating. Burial will follow in Rice Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be given to the church. To send an online condolence, please visit wmzfh.com.