Bernard O. “Bernie” Huelsmann died Monday, August 31, 2026, at his home in Breese. He was 91, and surrounded by family.
He took Irene Korte bowling on their first date and never got over it. He told the story for the rest of his life: “When I first met her, I drove away and I just kept thinking to myself, ‘How do I keep her? How do I not mess this up?'” He married her on May 10, 1960, at Immaculate Conception Church in Pierron, and spent the next 66 years acting like a man who knew he’d married up. They went on a date every week. In the later years that meant Popeye’s Chop House every Friday night, where he always ordered the scorpion salmon, shook every hand in the restaurant, and always charmed the staff.
Over 53 years as a building contractor, Bernie turned farmland into more than 500 homes across Breese, Highland, Carlyle and other towns in Southern Illinois, including developing 5 subdivisions. He poured his last foundation at 84 years old.
He was born November 7, 1934, in Breese, the son of the late Theodore and Wilhelmina (nee Homann) Huelsmann. He graduated from Aviston High School in 1953 and served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957, including a tour in Korea. He was a faithful member of St. Dominic Catholic Church. He hunted and he fished, and he loved the time spent with the family at the clubhouse best of all, where he opened every gathering with a joke he had been saving, and rarely a clean one.
He grew up on a farm and never stopped watching the weather. When his grandchildren scattered to Nashville, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Milwaukee, San Francisco, and the greater St. Louis area, he kept watching it for them. Whichever one called, he already knew that day’s forecast for their corner of the country. That was how they knew he thought about them every day.
Bernie is survived by his wife of 66 years, Irene, of Breese; his children, Randy (Gina) Huelsmann of Highland, Gerard “George” (Angel) Huelsmann of O’Fallon, Juanita (Steve) Donelson of Highland, Madonna (Ed) Fischer of Highland and Stephanie (Keith) Bierman of Highland; grandchildren, Nathan (Anjuli) Huelsmann, Laney (Ethan) Bond, Alexis (Sam) Wilcox, Mackenzie Huelsmann, Madison Huelsmann, Austin (Lexis) Fischer, Mason Fischer, Paige (Chase) Fischer-Westenfelder and step-grandchild Lexi Bierman; great-grandchildren, Wyatt, Byers, Claire and Graham; and sisters-in-law, Olivia Ficker of St. Louis, Florence “Flo” Schrage of Highland and Kathleen Huelsmann of Breese.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Wilbert (Agnes) Huelsmann, Richard Huelsmann, Roger Huelsmann and Robert Huelsmann; sister, Theodora (Ralph) Wilke; brothers-in-law, Andrew Schrage, Clarence (Ruth) Korte and Norbert (Helen) Korte; sister-in-law, Eleanor “Ellie” (Virgil) Henrichs; and parents-in-law, Frank and Emma (nee Kalmer) Korte.
Visitation will be held Thursday, September 10, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Breese, with Mass to follow at 11:00 a.m., Fr. Jim Nall presiding. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, plants or other gifts, memorials may be made to St. Dominic Church, Mater Dei Catholic High School or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and will be received at the visitation or by mail at Moss Funeral Home, 525 N. 2nd St., Breese, IL 62230, which is serving the family.
Expressions of sympathy can be sent to the family at www.mossfuneralhome.com.
