Glen J Kessler
(September 14, 1926 – March 17, 2017)
A memorial service will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, March 25, 2017 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL with Rev. E. Wade Helmkamp officiating and military rites by the U. S. Marine Corps Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Friday, March 24, 2017 and one hour before services on Saturday. Burial will be later in Hubbartt Cemetery, near Beecher City, IL. Memorials may be given to Shriners Hospitals for Children, Shelby County Veterans Honor Flight or Trinity Lutheran School in Stewardson, IL.
Glen was born on September 14, 1926 in rural Shumway, IL, the son of Glen A. and Alice (Roberts) Kessler. He graduated from Beecher City High School in the Class of 1944. Glen then entered the U. S. Marine Corps and was a veteran of WW II, serving from 1944-1946. Following his time in the service, Glen attended and graduated from the Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, IL. “Digger”, as he was fondly known, returned home and began his mortuary career working for the Cook Funeral Home in Beecher City, IL and later the Lantz and Boettcher Funeral Home in Shelbyville, IL. In 1956, Glen and Mont G. Howe purchased the McCoy-Richardson Funeral Home in Shelbyville, IL and became co-owners in Kessler-Howe Funeral Home in Shelbyville, IL. He retired from funeral service in 1970 and began farming in the Beecher City/Shumway area. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Shelbyville, Illinois Funeral Directors Association, Ansar Shrine, and Jackson Masonic Lodge #53 of Shelbyville, IL, where he was a Second Degree Mason. In his younger days, Glen enjoyed playing basketball and was a member of several teams, including Worsham College, Sparks College and Ben Kull Implement Company. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren and fishing. He married Anita Florence Butcher on November 18, 1944. Glen and Anita enjoyed spending their winters in Marble Falls, TX for over 30 years. Anita died on July 3, 2014.
He is survived by his children, David Kessler and wife Carol of Shelbyville, IL, Debbie Smith of Ballwin, MO, and Steve Kessler and wife Janet of Pana, IL; grandchildren, Stephanie Jeanne Gurgel and husband Jon of Shumway, IL and Captain Adam Stephen Kessler and wife Sonia of Fort Polk, LA; and great grandchildren, Jackson and Jakob Gurgel both of Shumway, IL and Brianna and Alessandra Kessler both of Fort Polk, LA.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Anita; infant twin son, Daniel Charles Kessler; daughter-in-law, Loretta Kessler; son-in-law, Jerry Smith; brother, Bob Kessler; and sister, Roselle Bauer.
The family would like to thank St. Anthony’s Hospice in Effingham for their care and support.
Send condolences at www.howeandyockey@consolidated.net