Benedict Patrick Wegemer

1917 - 2003  (85 years)

• Name	Benedict Patrick Wegemer  [1, 2]
  Birth	18 Jul 1917	St Marys, Elk, Pennsylvania, USA   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Death	3 Mar 2003	Mars, Butler, Pennsylvania
  Person ID	I3847	Branches and Roots
  Last Modified	13 Feb 2026

  
  

  Father	Joseph George Wegemer,   b. 13 Aug 1880, St Marys, Elk, Pennsylvania, USA d. 5 Dec 1965, St Marys, Elk, Pennsylvania, USA (Age 85 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Edna Mae O'Donnell,   b. 28 Feb 1884, Du Bois, Clearfield, Pennsylvania, USA d. 6 Dec 1973, St Marys, Elk, Pennsylvania, USA (Age 89 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	27 Jan 1904	St Marys, Elk, Pennsylvania, USA
  Family ID	F741	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Helene Mildred Schaut,   b. 14 Nov 1923, St Marys, Elk, Pennsylvania, USA d. 2 Mar 2009, Mars, Butler, Pennsylvania (Age 85 years)
  Marriage	11 Jul 1946
  Children	1. Christopher Wegemer  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. Living > 3. Living   4. Living   5. Living   6. Living > 7. Living > 8. Living
  Family ID	F639	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Feb 2026

  
  

• Sources

  [S393] Pacific Beach Chapel, Wegemer, Donald Edmond. Donald Edmond Wegemer, 89, longtime resident of Pacific Beach, passed away peacefully on 11/13/15. He was born on July 23rd, 1926, in Saint Marys Pennsylvania to Joseph George Wegemer and Edna Mae O’Donnell Wegemer. Don was raised in this small town in western Pennsylvania with his six brothers (George, Jody, Bill, Harry, Gene, and Ben) and two sisters (Helen and Pat). Growing up in the depression, Don worked many jobs to help the family, delivering newspapers morning, afternoon, and evening, and working at the drug store, and butcher shop after school. When Don graduated high school, he joined the army and became a Mess Sargent towards the end of World War II. Don fed many a hungry GI on their way to or from their assignments in Germany. After the war, Don returned to Saint Marys and worked at a brewery and a light bulb factory to save enough money to go to college on the GI bill. He received his bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University and his master’s from the University of Pittsburgh. It was while he was a graduate student at Pitt that he met the love of his life, Patricia Anne Jordan. They were married on August 16th, 1954. Don also worked with Doctor Jonas Salk at Pitt and was the last surviving member of the team who discovered the polio vaccine. After Don’s daughter Donna, and son Mike were born, the family moved to California where Don worked with Doctor Salk to establish the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in 1963. He worked for Doctor Salk for 30 plus years before eventually retiring from Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development. Don was an avid bowler competing in many leagues and state tournaments. He was very involved at St. Brigid Catholic Church as head lector, usher, and lay minister for many years. When the children were young, Don would drive the family across the country every year to see their relatives. Later in life, he and Pat enjoyed traveling the country by train to visit family or taking long drives together on the weekend before settling on the back porch to listen to the waterfall he constructed, enjoying all the flowers and trees he planted, and together watching the butterflies and hummingbirds. Don is survived by his daughter Donna Wolff (Rob); granddaughter Tricia Beyer (Keith); great-grand daughter Hazel; grandson Sam Wolff; son Michael Wegemer (Debbie); grandsons Mark and Jordan Wegemer. He was preceded in death by Patricia, his beloved wife of 61 years, his parents, and all his brothers and sisters. Arrangements are being made by The Pacific Beach Chapel, Saint Brigid Church, and Miramar National Cemetery. Please contact Pacific Beach Chapel for specific dates and times. Pacific Beach Chapel http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/ 23NOV2015 [S358] Application for World War II Compensation, Wegemer, Benedict Patrick.