URBANA: John Robert Werning, 49, died November 19, 2014 at his residence.

A Memorial Service will be held at 4 p.m., Saturday, November 29, 2014 at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. 6th St. in Vinton. Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. until service time on Saturday. A memorial fund has been established for John's sons.

John was born May 24, 1965 at Cedar Rapids to Robert and Darlene (Geiger) Werning and graduated from Vinton's Washington High School in 1983.

On August 10, 1996 he was united in marriage to Teresa Parise at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vinton.

Even as a young boy, John dreamed of being a farmer and that dream remained with him after he began a career as owner and operator of Werning Trucking. He loved Bluegrass music, camping, fishing, hunting, and races at Benton County Race Track. His favorite NASCAR drivers were Dale and Dale, Earnhardt, Jr. and Tony "Smoke" Stewart.

He is survived by his wife, Teresa Parise Werning and their teenage sons, Thomas John and Joseph Daniel Werning, all of Center Point; his mother, Darlene Werning of Vinton; his brother, Darrell (Laurie) Werning of Vinton and his sisters, Coleen (Bob) Lathrop of Marion, and Carol (Danny ) Lee of Bethany, MO; his nieces an nephews, Jenny (Ben) Watt, Katrina Lee, Stalin Somarriba, Danielle (Clinton) Kern, Alexa (Joshua) Osmon, Nick Lee, Danielle Dolezal, Kaitlynn Lee, Elijah Black, Jake Cochran, Courtney Heckt and Dylan Werning, and the teenagers he called his "adopted sons", Matthew Kim, Lukas Rick, Zach Wells, and Lane Benson.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Werning.

John never met a person he didn't like or wouldn't help. People often said he'd give the shirt off his back and then get you a clean one for later. He loved to entertain and made sure everyone was well fed and had a good time. A gentle Bear of a man with a heart of gold, that addiction took away too soon.

Condolences may be left at: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.