William "Bud" Burdette Wernz Obituary (1929

William (Bud) Burdette Wernz was born April 21, 1929, in Ephraim, Utah to Joseph William and Rhea Virginia Madsen Wernz. His brother Therald joined the family seven years later. William was always his daddy’s little buddy. This name stuck, but was shortened to Bud. Bud passed away at his home March 29, 2024, from a lingering illness at the age of 94. Bud was raised in Ephraim until his senior year. His family moved to Provo, Utah where he attended his senior year at Provo High School. There he met the love of his life, Amaryllis (Amy) Pope. They both graduated from Provo High in 1947. Bud and Amy were married November 22, 1948, in Provo, Utah and had 3 children. In 2023 they celebrated their 75th Wedding Anniversary. Bud went to work for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. He was a signal maintainer for most of his years there. The family had to move around to be close to where he was working for 12 years, until they finally bought a home in Provo, Utah in 1960. Bud “batched” it for several years while the family stayed in Provo. He was finally able to land a job closer to home until he retired. Bud loved pheasant and deer hunting, with an occasional fishing trip, until around 1970 when he found a new love. He bought a 1929 Model A Ford and brought it home in a basket! He started night school in autobody at the Provo Trade Tech and restored it beautifully. Over the years he fixed several wrecked cars and restored several more antique cars. He started the Timpanogos Chapter Model A Club, and was a member of the Utah and Copper Classic chapters of the VMCCA. Bud and Amy enjoyed many tours with them. In 1997, they built a new home in Francis, Utah and have enjoyed living there ever since. Bud is survived by his wife, Amy; children: Allen (Kathy) Wernz, Virginia (Mike) Newson, and Joyce Ann (Sterling) Draper; brother, Therald Wernz; 8 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren with another one coming very soon. He was preceded in death by his parents, a grandson and a sister-in-law. Thank you to all those amazing nurses and support staff who watched over and took such great care of him. A celebration of life will be held from 6:30-8:00 p.m., Thursday, April 4, 2024 at the Francis Ward Relief Society Room, 387 West Frontier Lane, Francis, Utah. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 5, at the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center Street, Provo, Utah. The family will receive friends from 10-10:45 a.m. prior to services. Bud will be interred in the Ephraim Park Cemetery, 650 North Main Street, Ephraim, Utah following the services. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.bergmortuary.com.