Wilbur Kent Engelhardt's Obituary
Wilbur Kent Engelhardt 72 of Pinckneyville Illinois passed away peacefully on February 4, 2025, at home with his wife by his side.
Wilbur, a twin, was born in Du Quoin IL to Erla Trefftzs Engelhardt on April 5, 1952 in Du Quoin Illinois. His father, Wilbur Frederick Engelhardt died in a tragic accident the previous September. In spite of losing her husband, Wilbur's mother maintained a loving Christian home where she instilled strong values in each of her children.
Wilbur graduated from Pinckneyville Community High School and Rend Lake College. He began working as a teenager and over the years worked in construction, coal mining and land management. He worked on dragline construction at a North American Coal mine in North Dakota and Consolidation Coal's burning Star #3 mine in Illinois. He was a coal miner at Consolidation Coal mines and at Arch Coal's Horse Creek mine. Wilbur was a skilled welder and ran his own welding shop. He also served as a land manager for Arch Coal in Eastern Kentucky and for Peabody in Illinois, Colorado and Montana. Among his projects at Peabody were assisting with the development of the World Shooting Center and acquisition of the properties where the Prairie State Energy Campus is located. After he retired, Wilbur also assisted with his family farming operations in Perry and Jackson Counties.
Wilbur was an avid outdoorsman. He hunted whitetail deer for 50 years until his health declined. Wilbur enjoyed photographing wildlife and building elaborate deer stands. He loved spending time with family and friends and always had stories to tell.
Wilbur was baptized on the same day as his twin sister, Lib at the First Baptist Church in Pinckneyville at age 10.
Wilbur married Susan (Doughty) Frassato on May 25, 2002 in Marissa IL and she survives, as does his brother, Irl (Sue) Engelhardt, Naples FL, his twin sister Lisabeth (Tim) Granzeau, Springfield IL, his stepdaughters Amanda (Jason Louis) Frassato, Pinckneyville and Sarah (Jon Khan) Frassato, Redondo Beach, CA, Mother in law, Margaret "Peg" Doughty, Pinckneyville and Brother's in law Michael (Norma) Doughty, Dallas Tx and Sean (Christine Campbell) Patrick, Nashville TN, One niece, Dr. Erin (Ryan) Orf, St. Louis and six nephews: Joel Engelhardt, Key West FL, Ben Granzeau, Chicago, Matthew Suchomski, Springfield IL, Andrew (Lori) Suchomski, Arlington Heights IL, Drew Granzeau, Springfield IL and Evan (Nicole) Engelhardt, St. Louis. Step grandchildren, Enzo Zubia and Luca Zubia, Pinckneyville, and Stella Khan and Sofia Khan, Redondo Beach CA, nieces and nephews: Lilly Orf, Amelia Orf and Russel Orf, St. Louis, Carl Engelhardt and Olivia Engelhardt, St. Louis, Colin Suchomski and Dylan Suchomski, Arlington Heights IL, and Eden Engelhardt and Emry Engelhardt, St. Louis.
Wilbur was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Carl Engelhardt.
Friends may call at Pyatt Funeral Home, Pinckneyville, IL on Saturday February 15, 2025 from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
A memorial service will follow the visitation at Pyatt Funeral Home, Pinckneyville, IL Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be at Mueller Hill Cemetery, Pinckneyville, IL.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association or to Friends of Pyramid Park and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Pyatt Funeral Home, Pinckneyville, IL is in charge of the arrangements.
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