Joseph 'Joe' Berends

Joseph (Joe) Berends, 63, of Glenwood City, WI peacefully passed away June 7th, 2026 surrounded by the love of his family. He leaves behind a legacy of hard work, unwavering community service and a life spent tending the land and the people he loved.

Visitation will be Thursday, June 11th, 2026, from 4-7 PM at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Glenwood City and one hour prior to the funeral mass.

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, June 12th, 2026, at 11 AM at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. He will be laid to rest at St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery.

Born on July 19th, 1962, the youngest of 11 sons of Duane and Bobbie Berends. Joe learned the value of a hard day's work at a very young age. He graduated from Glenwood City High School in 1980. On April 7th, 1984 he married his high school sweetheart, Julie, beginning a 42 year journey of love, partnership and shared dreams. Together they raised a family and supported one another through every season.

He was a lifelong farmer at heart, happiest when he was working the soil, tending his crops, milking his cows and fixing broken equipment. But Joe’s dedication didn't stop at the fence line. He was a familiar and reassuring face in the community, spending 25 years safely driving school buses for Glenwood City Schools.

He was always ready to lend a helping hand and was unafraid to do the dirty work no one else wanted to do. For 18 years Joe spent countless hours operating Berends Sanitation where he built a reputation for being honest, reliable and always on call. He was a man of the trades who could troubleshoot any problem whether it was a clogged line or a stalled tractor. He never shied away from an honest day's work.

Joe is survived by his loving wife, Julie, his children Nicholas (Deb), Katherine (Adrian) Potting, and Marcus, as well as his grandchildren Timothy and Kenneth Berends and Lainey and Gavin Potting. He is also survived by his Aunt Pat, brothers Dennis (Doris), Dick (Jo), Don (Ann), Dale (JoAnn), Doug (Deb), Daryl (JoAnn), and his twin Jim (Jane), his sister Shari (Mick) Rosenow and sisters-in-law Vickie, Deb, and Laurel, and many family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Duane and Bobbie Berends, brothers Dan, Dean and Darwin, nephews Stevie and Dustin.

“Once a farmer, always a farmer. Your chores here are finished, your fields are harvested, and it is time to put the tractor in the shed. Rest easy now, Joe.”

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