Kenneth L. Eidman

Kenneth L. Eidman, 86, of Mascoutah, IL was born Sept. 11, 1928 at Shady Lawn Farm, Engelmann Township, St. Clair County, IL, and died Friday, June 19, 2015 at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Belleville, IL.

He is a graduate of Mascoutah Community High School and the University of Illinois.  During the Korean conflict he was drafted into the U. S. Army and served in the first guided missile group in El Paso, TX and White Sands, NM.  After his discharge in 1953 he returned home and operated the family farm.  Farming was his passion.

Kenneth was a member of St. John United Church of Christ in Mascoutah, serving as past president and member of the church council; served on the Board of Directors of the Lincoln Farm Bureau Farm Management Assn.; and on the Board of Directors of the Belleville County Mutual Insurance Co. (now Heartland Mutual).  He was a charter member of the Mascoutah Historical Society; member of the Woodland Grange; and served 11 1/2 years on the Mascoutah Unit District 19 School Board and served three years as president.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roland and Cora, nee Doelling, Eidman; a son-in-law, Paul Sainer; and a brother-in-law, Howard Quinn.

Surviving is his wife of 60 years, Shirley M., nee Wood, Eidman whom he married in Shiloh, IL; three children, Sandi (Barry) Parks of Mascoutah, IL, Karen (Ron) Wakefield of Shumway, IL, and David L. (Diane) Eidman of Mascoutah, IL; 10 grandchildren, Aaron (Lauren) Heller, Nicholas, Kenneth, Michael, and Timothy Parks, Gregory and Jacob Sainer, Joshua (Kelly) Durden, Kali (Jeremy) Clement, and Jordan Eidman; six great-grandchildren; a brother, Vernon (Bonnie) Eidman of Roseville, MN; a sister, Edith (Paul) Beach of Belleville, IL; sister-in-law, Sue Quinn of Sun City, AZ; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to St. John United Church of Christ or Hospice of Southern Illinois, Inc.  Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting mollfuneralhome.com.

Visitation :  visitation will be from 4 to 8 PM Friday, June 26, 2015 at the Moll Funeral Home, Mascoutah; and from 9:30 to 10:30 AM Saturday, June 27, 2015 at St. John United Church of Christ in Mascoutah, IL.

Funeral :  funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Saturday, June 27, 2015 at St. John United Church of Christ with the Rev. Hugh Fitz officiating.  Interment will follow in the Mascoutah City Cemetery.