Harvey F. "Rusty" Eggemeyer, 89
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Harvey F. "Rusty" Eggemeyer, 89, of Red Bud, died Saturday, September 18, 2010 at the Red Bud Nursing Home.
Harvey was born July 27, 1921, at Blair, IL (south of Sparta) to Martin and Norma (Degener) Eggemeyer on the family farm where he was also raised. He graduated from Sparta High School in 1939.
Harvey married Lillie Chunn on November 29, 1941 at Perryville, MO. Harvey & Lil moved to St. Louis where Harvey was employed at Mississippi River Fuel Co. as a bookkeeper. At this time he also attended St. Louis Business College. He served in the Army Air Corps during WWII (1944-45). As their family began to grow, Harvey & Lil returned to Sparta to live. He was a charter member of the Sparta Lions Club and was an active member of Peace Lutheran Church in Steeleville, IL. He continued to commute to St. Louis to work.
In 1956, his company opened Mississippi River Fuel Corporation in Festus, Missouri, where Harvey accepted the position of personnel/safety director. While living in Festus, Harvey was very active in his community. He served on the board of directors for Jefferson Memorial Hospital, Jefferson R-7 school board, was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Elks Club, and was a deacon at Grace Presbyterian Church in Crystal City, MO.
In 1968 Harvey moved to Red Bud, IL with his wife and daughters to become the first personnel director at the American Furnace Co. (later the Singer Co.) He again was active in his community, especially the Red Bud Lions Club, and was also a member of the American Legion Post 622, in Prairie du Rocher. After his early retirement from the furnace factory, Harvey realized he needed to keep busy, so he went to work for Peabody Coal Co. at the Randolph County Prep Plant in the storeroom.
After the death of his first wife, Lil, in February 1988, Harvey retired and continued to pursue his hobbies of woodworking, playing cards, reading, gardening, and watching the St. Louis Cardinals. He then married Doris (Tockstein) Laurent on October 6, 1990, and she survives.
Harvey was preceded in death by his parents; step mothers Alma (Rickenberg) Eggemeyer and Eula (Holcomb) Eggemeyer; his first wife, Lillie (Chunn) Eggemeyer; a son, Barry Eggemeyer; brothers Maurice and Clifford; and sisters Marguerite & Betty (in childhood) and Eva Ohlau Stettbacher; and a grand daughter in infancy.
He is survived by his second wife Doris (Tockstein) Laurent Eggemeyer; his children Terry (Nelda) Eggemeyer of St. Louis, MO; Susan (Gary) Birke of Red Bud; Cindy (Bill) Derringer of Walsh; daughter in law Kathy Eggemeyer of Festus, MO; and step children Sharon (Pat) Mudd of Stanley, North Carolina, Janet (Don)Wrobel of Slidell, Louisiana, Mike (Sandy) Laurent of Sparta, Jean (Emory) Hodges of Slidell, Louisiana, Linda (Morris)Rickenberg of Stelleville, Terry (Tammy) Laurent of Ruma, Joe (Angel) Laurent of The Colony,Texas, and Steve (Julie) Laurent of Ruma. He is also survived by his grandchildren Teri Ann Eckenroth, Dale, Brett, Cary (Cindi), Shawn, Alan (Elizabeth), & Chris Eggemeyer, Gwen Derringer, Lori (Rob) Harbaugh, Ann (Ryan) Shaw, and Lindsay (Josh) Eckart; as well as step grandchildren, great grandchildren , step great grandchildren, a great-great grandson and brothers in law and sisters in law.
Visitation will be Tuesday, September 21, 2010 from 2 to 8 pm. at
Koch-Liefer Funeral Home, Red Bud, Illinois.
The funeral will be Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 10 am. from St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Ruma, Illinois. Burial will be in Caledonia Cemetery, Sparta, Illinois.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Patrick's Catholic Church or Hospice of Southern Illinois.