Virgil Wayne Liermann, age 92, of Waco, passed away Monday, March 20, 2023, in York.
He was born Oct. 28, 1930, to Bernhard “Ben” and Ida (Klepper) Liermann in their family home in Staplehurst. He graduated from Waco High School in 1948. On Sept. 11, 1951, he joined the United States Air Force, where he worked as an airplane mechanic. He received the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and was honorably discharged on Aug. 5, 1955, with the rank of Staff Sargent. He was in the Reserves until 1958. He was united in marriage to Eva Hobson on March 8, 1953, at Peace Lutheran Church in Waco. This union was blessed with three children.
In 1960, Eva and Virgil opened Liermann’s Standard Service in Waco. They continued to own and operate the business until their retirement in 1995. He joined the Waco Volunteer Fire Department in 1949 at the age of 18. In 1964, he was elected to serve as the Waco Fire Chief and served in this position for 32 years, until his retirement in 1996. He was active in his community, serving on the Waco Village Board of Trustees, Waco Planning Commission, Tree Advisory Board, Board of Adjustments, York County Crime Stoppers, Waco Cemetery Board, Peace Lutheran Church as an elder and trustee and was a 50-year member of the Utica American Legion Post #49. He loved to take his family on their yearly vacation to Minnesota.
Left to cherish his memory is one daughter, Cheryl (Chris) Kraft; his sons, Douglas Liermann and special friend Karen Stuhr, and James (Deanna) Liermann, all of Waco; grandchildren, Chelsea (Brent) Enninga of York, Ashley (Justin) Waldron of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Keshia (Rob) Norris of Lincoln, Brooke (Eric) Fisher of Inverness Florida, Cody (Jonny) Matula and Cole Dickes of Des Moines, Iowa, and Shelby (Reece) Pedersen of Goehner; 10 great-grandchildren, Avery Enninga, Isabelle, Evangeline and Rosalind Crouch, Stella Norris, Amelia, Beatrice and Theodore Waldron, Maverick Pedersen and baby boy Fisher; his brother, Delner Liermann; and sisters, Bernadine (Myron) Gocke and Geraldine (Merle) Naber, as well as many nieces, nephews and a host of friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; sisters and brothers-in-law, Ileen (Dean) Swett and Carlene (Jim) Svoboda; and sister-in-law, Agnes Liermann.
The funeral service was March 24 at the Peace Lutheran Church in Waco, with interment with full military honors at the Waco Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Waco Volunteer Fire Department, York General Hearthstone or Tabitha. Arrangements by Metz Mortuary in York.
