Gene Berndt Neenah, Wisconsin Gene Berndt, age 63, of Neenah, died Monday, March 28, 2011, at home. He was born December 12, 1947, in Oshkosh, to the late George and Jeanette (Drews) Berndt. Gene was a 1966 graduate of Winneconne High School and graduated from Fox Valley Tech in Oshkosh. On September 13, 1969, he married Kathleen Strozewski at Trinity Lutheran Church in Neenah. From 1967 until 1970 Gene was employed with J.I. Case in Winneconne, then with Ling Manufacturing in Neenah from 1970 until 1973, and in 1973 he began working for Miller Electric until 1996. Gene also did various odd jobs utilizing his handyman skills. He was a member of St. Pauls' Ev. Lutheran Church in Winneconne, where he served on the church council and as an usher. For 15 years Gene worked with A.A.L. as a volunteer branch president, the A.A.L. Federation Council, and had served as volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, including 2 years as president. Gene had a love of Arizona, and he enjoyed camping, woodworking, boating, volunteering, where he spearheaded many fund raisers, and he loved being with family and his grandchildren. He worked with the Webfooters Ski Team on the dock crew and drove the pickup boat. Gene is survived by his wife of 41 years, Kathleen Berndt, of Neenah; three children and his grandchildren, Pamela (Ryan) Starkenburg, and their children, Sophia, Katelyn, and Levi, of Sun Prairie; Eric (Tia) Berndt, and their children, Taylor and Claire, of West Bloomfield; Kurt (Erica) Berndt, and their children, Kendall and Carter, of Appleton; one sister, Ruthann (Joel) Sherman, of Neenah; one uncle and two aunts, Arlen and Arlene Drews, of Appleton; Mildred Marks, of Allenville; cousins, Gerry Marks, who was thought of as a brother, of Allenville; Roger (Marlene) Marks, of Neenah; Arlyss (Eric) Troge, of Hortonville; Rollin (Colleen) Drews, of Appleton; Darby (Stan) Hintz, of Beaver Dam; Wendy (Mike) Malone, of Pinehurst, North Carolina; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Karen and John Knabenbauer, of New London; Debbie and Jeffrey Doemel, of Reedsville; Harold Strozewski, of Neenah; and nieces and nephews. A Funeral Service for Gene will be held on Friday, April 1, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Pauls' Ev. Lutheran Church, 8 S. Fourth St. Winneconne, with Pastor Mark Albrecht and Pastor John Covach officiating. Burial will be in the Winneconne Cemetery. A Visitation for family and friends will be on Thursday, March 31 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Mueller Funeral Home, Winneconne, and will continue on Friday at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial funds have been established for the audio visual equipment at St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church and the Time of Grace ministry. Gene's family wishes to thank Lisa Hemes, his caregiver who became a special friend, Lyn Strohmeyer and Kathy Hughes, good friends of Gene and Kathy, the staff of ThedaCare at Home, and Pastor Covach and Pastor Albrecht, for all of the care given to him. Mueller Funeral Home 904 E. Main St. Winneconne, WI 54986 (920) 582-4242 Please submit online condolences to www.muellerfuneralhomeinc.com