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Visitation:
A memorial visitation will be held Friday, June 21,
2024 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Emden Community House.
Service:
Pending
Funeral home: Holland Barry & Bennett Funeral
Home
Obituary
Herman Claus Wibben, of Emden,
Illinois, passed away peacefully at home surrounded
by loved ones on June 11, 2024 at the age of 80.
A memorial visitation will be held Friday, June 21,
2024 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Emden Community House.
Throughout his life, Herman’s passion was growing
things; both kids and plants. His grandchildren and
timber were his final canvas and countless hours
were spent on both. He worked hard, gave everything,
and asked for little. ‘Daylight is burning’ could
often be heard before heading out for biscuits and
gravy and then getting to work. He strove to never
burden anyone and to maintain his independence. In
fact, he was still driving his truck and running his
chainsaw in his final days. Herman had an
entrepreneurial and serving spirit; starting and
operating three successful businesses. He enjoyed
hunting and teaching others to hunt safely. He
treated each child as his own, teaching them to
drive the gator, make fires, skip rocks, hunt
snipes, and plant trees. His littles could always
count on a stick of gum in his glovebox. The way he
lived his life and treated others leaves a lasting
legacy that will continue for many generations. He
was loved fully and will be missed dearly by all who
knew and adored him.
Surviving are his wife of 58 loving years, Maureen
“Marty” Janice Wibben; three children: Gregory
Herman (Dawn) Wibben, Cale David (Sarah Nowlen)
Wibben, and Lori Maureen (Cass) Benner; nine
grandchildren: Alec Gregory Wibben, Megan Nicole
Benner, Jenna Marie Benner, Michelle Lynn Benner,
Isabelle Lilly Wibben, Robert Michael Benner, Elias
Gregory Wibben, Tyson Antonio Benner, and Amir
Treyshawn Lewis Benner; and three siblings: Ruth
Ellen (Larry) Reinhart, Duane (Barb) Wibben, and
John (Pam) Wibben. He is also survived by countless
nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends that he loved
and mentored throughout his lifetime.
Herman was preceded in death by his parents, three
siblings: Margaret (Robert) Conrady, Nancy (Fred)
Ritterbush, Betty Litherland; niece Cathy (Conrady)
Richardson; nephew Doug Ritterbush; great-nephew
Ross Conrady; and his chosen son Brian Arthur
Liechty.
Herman Claus Wibben was born on December 6, 1943, to
Claus Albert Wibben and Edith Augusta (Trepel)
Wibben at home in Logan County. A 1961 valedictorian
of Hartsburg-Emden High School, he went on to
graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in
Agricultural Engineering in 1965. While at the
University of Illinois, he was an active member of
the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. It was during his time
at the U of I that he met the love of his life
Maureen “Marty” Janice Hacker. They wed on December
30, 1965 in Lisle, Il.
After graduation, Herman started his career as a
Geological Surveyor working for the US Department of
the Interior. That career would take them from
Champaign, Il (1965) to Pekin, Il (1966) to
Nashville, Tn (1970). During this career, Herman
enrolled as an Engineer-in-Training in 1968, earned
a diploma from the Society of Civil Engineers in
1975, passed the Tennessee State Board of
Architecture and Engineering exam to become
certified as a professional engineer in 1976, and
received a 10-year service award from the US
government. He conducted research on flood
characteristics and rainfall runoff modeling and
authored two publications on those topics that are
now housed in the Library of Congress. He also
proudly served his country in the Army National
Guard and was called to active duty on three
occasions.
When his parents, Claus and Edith, retired from
farming in 1976, Herman and Marty moved back to
Hartsburg, Il with their three children to farm the
ground he grew up on. Leveraging his engineering and
hydraulic background, his waterways always flowed.
Along with his brothers, he was an early adopter of
no-till farming. Wibben Detasseling company was
established by Herman in 1981 and, over the next 42
years and three generations, it served as a seasonal
employer to over 10,000 young people throughout the
Logan County area; having a life-long impact on
many. He farmed for over 20 years until they moved
to Emden, Il in 1998. |
Herman came of age during the time
that computers were emerging, and they played a
significant role throughout his life. Using punch
cards to write programs and receive data outputs, he
was part of some of the first high-level programming
classes at the University of Illinois. He utilized
computers extensively during his time with the US
Geological Survey. In the late 70s, he was one of
the first to have a personal home computer which he
leveraged to operate the farm and the Wibben
Detasseling by writing his own software. He ran the
computer department at General Consulting Services
(GCS) for two years in the early 90s.
His passion for computers and
helping others evolved into establishing Wibben
Computer Services (WCS) in 1994. For the next 23
years, WCS was a fixture and friend in downtown
Lincoln on the Square providing system design,
computer repair, custom programming, server
operation, and networking services. Like farming and
detasseling, WCS was a family operation as Marty,
Lori, and Cass worked alongside him. Several
grandchildren were practically raised in that store.
He continued to spend time on computers until the
very end and was recently working to understand and
use generative-AI.
Herman dedicated countless hours to volunteering and
serving his community. While in Nashville, he was a
charter member of the Percy Priest Lake Jaycees and
initiated one of the first JC haunted houses in the
country. In 1986-88, he served as chairman of the
Logan County Extension Agriculture Council.
Throughout the 80s, Herman was the Cub Master for
the Boy Scouts of America Pack 127, coached
biddy-basketball and t-ball, and tutored many
students in math and science. He served as director
of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital board from
1991-1995. Through the late 90s and early 2000s, he
was president of the Hartsburg-Emden Alumni
Association where he brought the organization into
the digital age by creating a database of alumni and
addresses that is still used today, was instrumental
in moving the banquet to the KCs, and helped
establish the Wall of Fame. Herman was a deputy with
the Logan County Mounted Police and was a member of
the Tremont Sportsman’s Club where he loved spending
time with his friends and practicing his
marksmanship.
Together with his brother Duane Wibben and son Cale
Wibben, Herman purchased 36 acres of ground outside
of Burtonview, Il in 2001. Committed to be good
environmental stewards, they enrolled their land
into a conservation program. This project became his
true passion and love. Over the next 23 years,
Herman and team planted over 12,000 native trees and
bushes to provide food and habitat for wildlife in
Logan County. On any given day, you could find him
there clearing invasive trees with his chain saw,
mowing walking and riding paths so others could
enjoy it all, planting, watering, and trimming this
year’s new growth, or mapping out and flagging next
year’s plantings. He loved creating and nurturing
his own plantings from seeds and cuttings. Joining
him to work at the creek was the way to spend time
with him, learn from him, and show love to him. He
cherished every minute of the time spent pouring his
heart into the land.
Memorial donations may be made to the Wibben Woods
Conservation Fund at the State Bank of Emden (215
Lincoln St, Emden, Il 62635) or Venmo: @WibbenWoods
ConservationFund.
The funds will help sustain the
wildlife ecosystem that Herman established and
loved. “The true meaning of life is to plant trees
under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”
Condolences may be sent to Marty Wibben at 209
Market St, Emden, Il 62635.
Click here to send a note of condolence to the
family of Herman Claus Wibben
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