Edgar J. Engelkens

Edgar J. Engelkens, 82, of Freeport, died suddenly Friday, February 2, 2018 at St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford. He was born on November 28, 1935 in Morrison, Illinois. He was the son of John E. and Ida E. (Anspach) Engelkens. Edgar graduated from Forreston High School in 1953. He served in the U.S. Navy. He married Mary Ellen Plummer on October 26, 1958 at First United Methodist Church in Freeport. His memberships included the Freeport Eagles Club, Freeport Rural Fire Department, Stephenson County Beef Association, and Lancaster Township Trustee. He was very devoted to the Stephenson County Fair, serving as a fair board member, and Superintendent of Beef Department and Tractor Pull. He received a Lifetime Fair Association Award in 2016 for his involvement in the Stephenson County Fair for his many years of volunteer work. Edgar and Mary were part of a group that founded the Freeport Rural Ambulance and Beef Corral at the Stephenson County Fair. His hobbies from childhood on involved showing beef cattle, first with his brothers, then his family, and later his grandchildren. He farmed all of his life and has a fascination for John Deere Farm Equipment, which later led to a job as a John Deere salesman for KingLore Farmstore in Elizabeth and Murphy & Gustafson Inc. in Freeport, and lastly at Holland and Sons in Freeport. He loved to go camping with his family and friends, traveling, playing chickenfoot Dominoes, 500, King's Reverse, and Skipbo. He traveled with his son, Scott, and his pulling tractor, "Feverish Green" for the Badger State Tractor Pullers Association. Edgar's other jobs included being a seed salesman for Pride and Pioneer for many years. He also worked at Burgess Cellulose in Freeport and Northern Ag as a feed salesman. Edgar was the proud parent of four children, Karen (Roger) Wilhelms, Brian (Carol) Engelkens, and Scott (Renee) Engelkens all of Freeport and Gail Engelkens (Brian Ginn) of Rock City. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen Engelkens of Freeport; his four children; two brothers, Arnold Engelkens of Polo and Donald (Midge) Engelkens of Orangeville; grandchildren, Mark, Katie, and Adam Engelkens, Chad and Sarah Wilhelms all of Freeport; Brandon Engelkens and special friend Dana Chorley of Pecatonica, and Mary Engelkens and Molly Ginn of Rock City; step-grandchildren, Brian G. and Brody Ginn of Machesney Park, Stephanie (Dan) Monigold of LeRoy and Christian (Shannon) Wilhelms of LaVergne TN.; step-great-grandchildren, Lilia Monigold of LeRoy and Deshea and Kyrie Wilhelms of LaVergne, TN. Edgar was preceded in death by his parents, two nephews, and a sister-in-law. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday February 9, 2018 at Faith United Methodist Church. Pastor John Wesley Lee will officiate. Visitation will be Thursday 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Burke Tubbs Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established in Edgar's memory. Please sign his guestbook and share a remembrance at wwww.burketubbs.com