Date of death: 2/14/2016
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1960
Bernard S. “Bud” Vahlkamp, 88, of Fairview Heights, Ill., born Jan. 15, 1928, in Carlyle, Ill., died Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016, at Aviston Countryside Manner, Aviston, Ill.Bud was a Korean War veteran and a charter member of the Beckemeyer American Legion. He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University and was a teacher at many Catholic schools including St. Joseph Academy, St. Louis, Mo., St. Phillip, Sister Theo Bowman, St. Albert the Great, Holy Trinity and St. Joseph, all in the Metro East.He was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard and Alice, nee Beckemeyer Vahlkamp; sisters and brothers-in-law, Lorraine (Jack) Gonzalez and Helen (Civ) Orschell.Surviving are his nieces and nephews, Jack (Linda) Gonzalez, Jane Gonzalez, Mary (Steve) Kelso, Joe Gonzalez and special friend, Carol Rhodes, Ben (Jan) Gonzalez, Jupie Gonzalez, Chris (Randy) Dooley, Jim (Ruth) Orschell and Tom Orschell; 12 great-nieces and great-nephews; and three great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.