Virgil C. VonTobel, Sr., 89, of Francesville died Sunday, January 18, 2004, in Home Hospital in Lafayette.

He was born February 7, 1914 in Francesville, in the Railroad Street home of his parents, Paul J. VonTobel II and Angela (Gutwein) VonTobel. He married Viola Winzeler on March 17, 1946 in Chicago. She died December 15, 2003.

He lived in Francesville all his life.

Virgil quit school at the age of 16 to help at the family lumber business in Francesville. He delivered coal in the community first by horse and wagon and then by truck. He was converted after a tragic accident in 1930 when he was 26 years old. Virgil has been a member of the Apostolic Christian Church of Francesville for 63 years.

Virgil was one of the first men in the community to be drafted into the US Army in 1941 before WWII broke with the attack on Pearl Harbor. He spent 4½ years in the service of the US Army for the 1308 Engineers driving supply trucks for the building of camps and hauling everything from supplies to soldier's remains. On one account as the lead truck he was spared of the discharge of a mine in the road while a truck behind him was blown up. He served in Belgium, France, and England during the battle of the Bulge in the European Theater. As a conscientious objector, he was discharged in 1945.

He managed VonTobel Lumber Company in Francesville until his retirement in 1976.

He is survived by three daughters, Virginia Masten, of Vincennes, IN, Vivian Siegfried of Copperopo1is, CA, and Verene Sutton of Glendale, AZ; one son, Virgil C. VonTobel, Jr. of Rens selaer, A [sic] brother Harry VonTobel of Lafayette, IN; 10 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Three brothers, one sister and one granddaughter preceded him in death.

Friends may call at the Querry-Ulbricht Funeral Home in Francesville from 4-8 p.m. today.

Funeral services will be at the Apostolic Christian Church in Francesville at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday January 22, 2004, with the Ministers of the church officiating.

Burial will be in Roseland Cemetery.