WAUKESHA - Vernon F. "Vern" Sholtz, age 87, of Waukesha was born to eternal life on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000, at the Waters of Westmoreland Health Center in Waukesha. He was born March 28, 1913, in St. Paul, Minn., the son of Frank and Arlene (nee Anderson) Sholtz. Vern was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church in Waukesha. Vern had operated the Mer-Mil DX filling station in Waukesha, located on the corner of St. Paul Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue during the late 1940s until 1969. After that, he was employed at Dairyland Foods until his retirement in 1978. Vern was a musician, and a member of the Senior Songsters, a musical group that entertained throughout the area. Vern played the keyboard all his life.

Vern is survived by his wife, Jewell, of Waukesha and by daughters Arlene (Bill Sr.) Belmer of Waukesha and Anita (Art) Richardson of Mukwonago. He is also survived by grandchildren Bill Jr. (Shari), Bob, Brent (Rae Lynn) and Bryan (Laurie) Belmer; and Cory (Bill) Hurst, Tim (Amy) Richardson, Rene (Mark) Liska and Scott (Kristy) Richardson. He is further survived by 15 great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends. Vern was preceded in death by his first wife, Fern, in February 1983 and by grandson Brad Belmer in 1992.

Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Rudolph-Larsen Bros. Funeral Home, East Avenue at Carroll Street in Waukesha, with the Rev. Frank Gaylord officiating. Burial will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27 at Prairie Home Cemetery. Friends may call on Tuesday from 4 p.m. until the time of the funeral service at Rudolph-Larsen Bros. If desired, memorials to the First United Methodist Church would be appreciated by the family.