KENDALLVILLE — John William Westergaard, age 85, of Kendallville and formerly of Reinbeck, Iowa, passed away on Friday, August 5, 2016, at Parkview Noble Hospital. Mr. Westergaard was born on May 28, 1931 in Tama County, Iowa, to the late James Westergaard Sr. and Elsie (Ramundt) Schroeder. He attended Reinbeck High School in Iowa and then joined and served his country honorably with the United States Army from 1948 to his discharge in 1952. John aided in the Korean War and served as a medical technician in Japan and South Korea during the war. On April 12, 1953 he married Ramona Doris Halupnick. From 1953 to 1966, John worked for his brothers' water conditioning business in Reinbeck, Iowa, before moving his family to Kendallville in 1967. He was a service manager for Culligan of Kendallville from 1967 to 1981. He then worked for pipeline and grain transport companies in Wyoming and New Orleans, also holding maintenance positions for different companies before his retirement. John was a lifetime member of both the American Legion and VFW, 50-year member of the Reinbeck Freemasons, and was a member of the Scottish Rite and Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He loved to tell stories and reminisce with his family and friends at the local coffee shops. John enjoyed riding and taking trips on his motorcycles in his younger years. After retirement he and his wife Ramona spent winters in Arizona, Florida and at their winter home in McAllen, Texas. Through his later years he loved to relax and sit back and watch Western movies and took pride and joy in maintaining his lake home property. He will always be affectionately known as the 'Mayor' of Terrace Hills where he and Ramona have resided for nearly 50 years. His children and grandchildren will always remember and admire their father and grandfather for his hard work ethic, integrity and for someone who loved his wife, family, community and most of all, country. Survivors include his spouse, Ramona Doris Westergaard of Kendallville; two sons, Daniel and Nyoka Westergaard of Casa Grande, Arizona, and Thomas Westergaard of Avilla; two daughters, Julie and Charles Knott of Chapin, South Carolina, and Pamela and Tom Burkhart of Watkinsville, Georgia; his grandchildren, Jeromie and Mark Westergaard, Chad, Brandan and Tyler Knott, Candace Brown, Anna and Maya Burkhart, and Blake and Brock Westergaard; his great-grandchildren, Riley and Victoria Westergaard, Kayli, Davis and Madilynn Brown, and Caroline Knott; great-great- grandchild, Easton Uc-tun; brother, James Jr. and Lillian Westergaard of Reinbeck, Iowa; and many neices and nephews. John was also preceded in death by his brothers, Walter, Raymond and Roger Thede; and his daughter-in-law, Laura Westergaard. Visitation will be held today, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, from 4-7 p.m. at Hite Funeral Home, 403 S. Main St., Kendallville. There will be a Masonic Lodge service at 7 p.m. following the visiting hours. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, at 11 a.m. at Hite Funeral Home. Burial will take place at Lake View Cemetery in Kendallville. Officiating the services will be Pastor Chris Stephens. Pallbearers will be Jeromie Westergaard, Mark Westergaard, Chad Knott, Tyler Knott, Brandan Knott, Blake Westergaard and Brock Westergaard. Memorial donations may be directed to and Parkview Hospice. Send a condolence to the family at www.hitefuneralhome.com.