William “Bill” Barenberg passed on peacefully to the Lord on May 7, 2021 at the age of 84 at his daughter’s home in Lenexa, Kansas, with his family at his side.
Bill grew up on the family farm in Herndon, Kansas, the oldest son of Edward and Katherine Barenberg. He attended Kansas State University where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering. After graduation, he moved to Kansas City to work for the Federal Aviation Administration. He remained with the FAA his entire career. He met the love of his life, Mary “Linda” Kraker, in Kansas City, and after living briefly in Decatur and Chicago, IL eventually settled in Overland Park, KS. Bill and Linda were married 53 years.
Bill was a devoted father who dedicated his life to his family, church and community. He was an active parishioner of the Church of the Holy Cross from its inception, where he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was involved in his kids’ sports as a coach and most notably as one of the founders of the Great American Basketball League (GABL) still active today.
He had many hobbies that kept him busy with projects. He particularly loved wood-working, spending time at his house at the Lake of the Ozarks, and documenting family history and ancestry. He was immensely proud of his grandchildren and was often seen at their school and sporting activities. His big smile, generous laugh, joy for life, and love for the people around him were what made him cherished by many.
He is preceded in death by his parents, oldest sister Martha Rose, and his beloved wife, Linda. He is survived by daughters Jacqueline Knoop (Dale), Jennifer Kropf (Brad), son William “Joe” Barenberg, Jr. (Trisha) and nine grandchildren: Leah, Victoria, Joe, Andrew, Anna, Tom, Lauren, Julia, and John. He is also survived by seven siblings Frances Jaderborg (Frank), Berniece Kompus, Helen Gergely (John), JoAnn Riener (Wayne), Maxine Rooney, Marlene Nowak (Tom), and Edward Barenberg (Paula).
The Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 13 at Church of the Holy Cross, 8311 W. 93rd St, Overland Park, KS. He will be put to rest in the Resurrection Cemetery Mausoleum immediately following the ceremony. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 12 at the Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS where the Rosary will be recited at 6:30 p.m. Face masks and social distancing will be optional. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to the Church of the Holy Cross or Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas.