- Date Of Birth: December 17, 1923
- Date Of Death: January 29, 2007
- State: Illinois
Phillip W. Schildknecht Sr., 83 of Greenville, Ill., formerly of O’Fallon, Ill., born December 17, 1923, in O’Fallon, Ill., died Monday, January 29, 2007 at Greenville Regional Hospital, Greenville, Ill. After graduating from O’Fallon High School, he served in the US Army during WW II, during which time he married Frances K. Battoe on July 9, 1944 at O’Fallon United Church of Christ. After Phil was discharged from the military, he attended and graduated from St. Louis Mortuary College, receiving his funeral director license in 1947.
In 1949, Phil and Frances founded the Schildknecht Funeral Home in O’Fallon, including an ambulance service. Expanding their business into Fairview Heights, they opened their second facility on Old Lincoln Trail in 1952. In 1970, Phil and Frances purchased and became owner/operators of Dewey Schildknecht Funeral Home in Greenville, Ill. and Ripperdan Schildknecht Funeral Home in Mulberry Grove in 1976. Needing to be closer to the operations of the business, Phil and Frances moved to Greenville in 1978. In 1998, Phil retired from the business he had nurtured for so many years. With his quick wit and gentle charm, Phil was known by all and loved by many. Phil was a leader in the community of O’Fallon. Not only being the founder, owner, and operator of the Schildknecht Funeral Homes various locations, he was also the owner and developer of Parkview Manor Nursing Home, now known as Covenant Care of O’Fallon, the Feed Bag Restaurant, Fina Gas Station and Plaza Drug East, all in O’Fallon and the developer of the Back of the Moon subdivision at Governor Bond Lake in Greenville, Ill.
Phil had served as the Chairman of the Illinois Funeral Directors Regulation an Education Professional Board. He was a member and past president of the Kiwanis Club in O’Fallon and Greenville, member of the Greenville Masonic Lodge #245 AF&AM, Scottish Rite Bodies of Southern Illinois, AINAD Shrine Temple in E. St. Louis, serving as their former service officer and the American Legion Fischer-Sollis Post 137. He served as a director on the board of the First National Bank in O’Fallon, served on the District 90 School Board, was a former St. Clair County Deputy Coroner, past member of the St. Clair County Funeral Directors Association and District 14 Funeral Directors Assn. and a member of the St. Clair County Democratic party.
He was also a former Bond County Board Chairman, Bond County Democratic Party Chairman and Bond County Democratic Precinct Committeeman. He was also a member of the Greenville Country Club, Greenville Commercial Club, Glenwood Estates Senior Citizens and various Coffee Clubs throughout St. Clair and Bond County. Phil was an avid boater, card player and pilot. He loved spending time with his entire family bar-b-queing and flying them on his private plane. He also enjoyed singing with his barber shop quartet. He was preceded in death by his parents, Philip Henry and Martha Ellen, nee Whitehead, Schildknecht, his wife Frances K. Schildknecht, a son Stephen P. Schildknecht, a brother Charles Schildknecht and a sister Martha Bode.
Phil is survived by 2 daughters, J. Christine (friend Terry Niehieser) Schildknecht of O’Fallon, Ill., Kate & Glenn Stoecklin of Pocahontas, Ill, a son Phil Jr. & Peggy Schildknecht of O’Fallon, Ill, 6 grandchildren, Curt (fianc Lorie Mickie Edwards) Schildknecht of O’Fallon, Ill., Tammy & Tony Young of Greenville, Ill., Aundrea & Andy Mergner of Greenville, Ill., Phillip W. Schildknecht III of O’Fallon, Ill., Dustin Schildknecht of O’Fallon, Ill., Michael Schildknecht of Lake of the Ozarks, MO and 5 great grandchildren, Ashley Young, Allison Young, Taylor Bailey, Emily Kay Schildknecht and Ethan Mergner.
