Vernon L. Barg

Vernon Lawrence Charles Barg of Oak Park, Illinois, passed away on Saturday, April 24, 2021, at the age of 87.  Vern was the youngest of four children born to parents Elmer and Lily (Buelow) Barg on September 24, 1933, in his childhood home on south East Avenue in Oak Park.

He attended grade school at Christ Lutheran in Oak Park and graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1951. After high school he studied at local community colleges while beginning his career as a meat cutter.

Vern served in the United States Army from May 1956 through May 1958, where he worked as a medical assistant in orthopedics, followed by 4 years of service in the Army Reserves.

Vern went on to a long and dedicated career as a meat cutter and department manager for both Jewel Foods (over 10 years) and Dominick’s Finer Foods (over 30 years).

He is survived by his three loving daughters, Karen (Mike) Baldwin, Donna (Eric) Hartin, and Wendy (John) Kuenster; grandchildren, Emma and Owen Baldwin, Annaliese, Callen and Ciel Hartin, and Ella, JJ, Cameron and Ava Kuenster; former wife Diane Gasper Marston; cousin Glenn (Carolyn) Strohschein, sister-in-law Bessie Marie Barg and many nieces and nephews. Vern was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Lily (Buelow) Barg; siblings Edgar Barg, Lavonne (Carl) Groth and Shirley Barg; and nieces Elisa Gaskill and Esther Barg.

Vern was extremely dedicated to his family, faith and fun. He never missed a birthday, holiday or family gathering.  Vern was an avid sports fan — you would consistently find him on the sidelines cheering on his daughters and grandchildren. He was very dedicated to his faith.  He was a parishioner of St John’s Lutheran Church in Forest Park for the last 38 years and Christ Lutheran in Oak Park prior to that, and volunteered within the churches in many capacities. He was an avid fisherman and card player, jigsaw and crossword puzzler, participated in the church dart and bowling leagues, acted and sang in Act IV and other church groups, and spent Saturday nights at the old Santa Fe Speedway.  He also enjoyed traveling to Florida, Wisconsin, and Paw Paw, Michigan, as well as special excursions to Hawaii and Germany. Vern loved all Chicago sports teams but was most thrilled to watch the Cubs win the World Series in 2016.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 2, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home in Forest Park, Illinois, with a wake service at 6:30 pm.  Lying in state at St. John’s Lutheran Church 305 Circle Ave., Forest Park, Illinois, Monday, May 3, from 10:00 – 11:00 am, where service will be held at 11:00 am. Interment Concordia Cemetery. Please remember to follow Covid guidelines. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations can be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church (www.stjohnforestpark.org/stewardship) or the Belmont Village of Oak Park Staff Appreciation Fund (1035 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302).

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