Allen Koenegstein

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Allen Koenegstein, 66, of Tamaroa, passed away at 9:10 P.M., Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at his residence.

Allen began his working career with Okawville Commercial Telephone, then Illini State Telephone, Illinois Telephone Company, Continental Telephone, Contel, GTE, and retired after forty-two years of service as a central office technician with Verizon. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Tamaroa. He had served in the Illinois National Guard 1244 Transportation Group out of Carbondale. He was a member of Knights of Columbus and was a religious teacher at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. He had been a Tamaroa Grade School Board Member for ten years, was a basketball referee and a baseball umpire. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and enjoyed hunting rabbit, squirrel, dove, and coyote. Allen was a wonderful father and grandfather.

He was born October 18, 1942 at Du Quoin, IL, the son of Orval T. and Mildred L. (Galbraith) Koenegstein.

He married Eileen M. Resch on August 21, 1971 at Mt. Vernon, IL and she survives.

He is survived by his wife of Tamaroa, one daughter - Traci Peek and husband Patrick of Tamaroa, three grandchildren - Madysen, Hannah, and Chloe, and one brother - Mike Koenegstein of Tamaroa.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial Mass will be held at 11:30 A.M., Saturday, June 20, 2009 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Tamaroa with Fr. Oliver Nwachukwu officiating.

Those attending the Mass should go directly to the church on Saturday.

Friends may call from 5 to 8 P.M., Friday at the Searby Funeral Home in Tamaroa.

Friends may make memorials to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Hospice of Southern Illinois, or Masses and will be accepted at the funeral home.

For additional information or to sign the memorial guest register, please visit www.searbyfuneralhomes.com.