Sylvester A. “Sonny” Weires, 78, of Dubuque and Floral City, Florida, passed away Tuesday, January, 15, 2019, from complications of Alzheimer’s, at Vitas Healthcare, Lecanto, FL. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, January 25, 2019, at Holy Spirit Parish, Sacred Heart Church, 2215 Windsor Avenue, Dubuque, with Rev. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., on Thursday, January, 24, 2019, at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, where there will be a parish wake service held at 7:30 p.m.

Sonny was born on June 26, 1940, in Waterloo, IA, son of Otto M. and Clara (Thimmisch) Weires.

Sonny graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in 1959. He married Donna M. Jentz on February 13, 1960, and they were inseparable until the end. Sonny worked at various jobs prior to starting at John Deere in 1963. He retired from John Deere in 1993. Sonny was an accomplished musician, taking up guitar in his 20’s. He played lead guitar and sang in various country bands at many events and nightclubs. He dabbled with other instruments as well and inspired all of his children, several grandchildren and Donna to learn to play music too. He was an avid archer, deer hunter, and a long-time active member of the Dubuque Field Archers. He boated with family and friends for decades on the Mississippi. He taught many people to ski, pulling them with his well-known green Starcraft. He insisted anyone could learn. In his “free time” he was busy restoring and painting cars at the family home he built, with the help of friends and family at Mud Lake. He enjoyed classic car shows and was a member of the Dubuque Antique Car Club. Sonny was a life-long Christian and born-again at age 45. He lived his Christian faith, attending church weekly, studying the bible often and treating all with kindness.

He is survived by

his wife of 58 years,
Donna Weires;

his three sons,
Randy (Brenda Faris) Weires,
Rodney (Kimberly) Weires
and Rick (Karen) Weires;

his daughter,
Kim (Kevin) Discher;

11 grandchildren,
Russ, Roger, Jake, Julie, Natalie, Becca, Andrea, Jessica, Katie, Dylan and Brooke;

10 great-grandchildren;

his brother,
Otto Weires;

his sisters,
Loretta Paar
and Betty (Leo) Stepflug;

his brother-in-law,
Kenny (Pat) Jentz;

and his sisters-in-law,
Helene (Jack) Bennett
and Darlene Chapman.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Delores Kester and Mary Grobstick; and his brothers-in-law, Ronny Jentz, Clarence Jentz, Roger Jentz, Dick Paar and Gary Chapman.

Memorials will be accepted by the family to be distributed among Sonny’s favorite charities.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com