Donald J. Wermes

Donald "Don" J. Wermes, 83, of Port Orange, Fla., formerly of Sioux City, died Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at Hospice of Volusia/Flagler in New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, 3220 Stone Park Boulevard, Sioux City. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, with military rites conducted. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at the funeral home.

Don was born Oct. 9, 1924, to George and Anna (Thiel) Wermes. He married Dorothy Salmon on March 14, 1944, in Tampa, Fla. He served in the U.S. Army as an airplane mechanic and also as a tail and belly gunner in World War II. Returning home, he worked as a machinist at Sioux Tools and a mechanic at Vershoors Garage in Sheldon, Iowa.

In 1951, he partnered with Lawrence Woolworth to open the Floyd Avenue Garage in Leeds, ran it on his own for 10 years and later owned a Mobil gas station dealership across the street. In 1966, he reopened the leased original building as Don's Auto Center and also took over the Apco station dealership until early 1970. He then ran the shop exclusively with additional services. Semi-retiring in 1978, he sold Don's Auto Center to his two sons, Butch and Ron (current owner under the same name) and four months a year installed trailer hitches as DW Hitch Service.

With his wife, Don enjoyed square dancing, taking a trip to Europe and later traveling during the winter months, beginning their lives as "snow birds." In the mid-1980s, the couple fully retired, moved to Florida and started riding motorcycles with a group called the Retreads. Dorothy died on Dec. 22, 1986. On his own, Don also enjoyed hand-building an MG replica and restoring a 1946 and a 1952 Chevy pickup. He was also a pilot and flew recreationally. He later met Christina Hill in Florida, who shared his life for 12 years. Don spent his "golden years" riding his motorcycle and dancing two to three evenings a week in the Daytona Beach area.

Survivors include three daughters, Barbara Shell, Carol (Jim) Bohnenkamp and Rita (Ken) Larson; a son, Ronald Wermes; a daughter-in-law, Suzanne Wermes; seven grandchildren, Kristin (Brad) Debban, Adam and Diana Wermes, Tim and Joel Bohnenkamp, Matthew (Laura) Larson and Mandy (Schuyler) Smith; and four great-grandchildren, Brody, Chandler, Dylan and Lamaya.

Along with his wife, Dorothy, he was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Paul "Butch"; two sisters, Anna Marie Severson and Loretta Roehrich; two brothers, Clarence and Robert Wermes; and special friend, Christina Hill.

Memorials may be sent to the family or Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 1020 Claudia Street, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168.