Paul G. Middendorf, Sr.

Paul Middendorf of St. Libory, Illinois passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008. He was born on Apr. 15, 1934 in St. Louis, Missouri.


As a young child he moved with his parents George (Chicken) and Mary (Tots), nee Shubert, Middendorf, to St. Libory, where they ran Geo. Middendorf Tavern beginning in the 1930s. Paul attended elementary school in St. Libory, and graduated from high school in Marissa, Illinois in 1951. On Sept. 12, 1953 he married Jeanette (nee Wienstroer) in St. Louis, MO to whom he has been married for more than 55 years. They raised their five children in St. Libory.


Paul had a long and productive work life. He began working in St. Louis in the early 1950s, and had a career with the Southwestern Freight Bureau that spanned more than thirty years. He is also well known regionally for having run Chicken’s Restaurant in St. Libory. Paul had worked at Chicken’s in his younger years, then he and Jeanette purchased the business in 1970 and ran it until 1994. He was also a printer, and, with local partners, ran a printing shop from the late 1950s until he retired from printing in the 1990s.


Paul was a man of many talents and interests. Music was one of his life-long passions, and he was an excellent singer and guitar player. He also loved motorcycles and antique cars. Above all, he was a loving and devoted family man. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.


Paul was preceded in death by his parents, and brother, Cletus Middendorf.


Surviving is his wife Jeanette, five children: Paul (Karen) Middendorf, Beverly (Steve) Maher, Gloria Middendorf-Glauber, Jeffrey (Lisa) Middendorf , and Jerry (Jan) Middendorf, and nine grandchildren: Beth, Adam, Alex, Adrienne, Erika, Renee, Mallory, Andre and Sarah, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews.


Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society at: www.cancer.org.


Visitation: friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008 at the Moll Funeral Home in St. Libory, IL. There will be a prayer service at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.


Funeral: a funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24, 2008 at St. Liborius Catholic Church in St. Libory, IL with Rev. Dennis Voss officiating. Burial will be in St. Liborius Catholic Cemetery.