Obituaries
Obituary for Clifford M. Reisenbigler
CLIFFORD M. REISENBIGLER, 96, of 400 E. Park, Morrison, IL, died Thursday, August 10, 2006 at his home. Clifford was born in Erie, IL, March 24, 1910 to Ira J. and Winifred (Henwood) Reisenbigler. He was one of nine children, Bob, Ruth, Walt, Cliff, Stella, Amy, Emma, Ira(Jimmy), and Vada. Cliff attended Erie schools and graduated from Erie Community High School in 1928. He got his first steady job at age 11, in 1921, delivering the Sterling Gazette daily paper in the Village of Erie. He had to meet the passenger train each day at 4:34 PM to get the papers. In high school, he kept busy with a part time job at the local Movie Theater and did not enter into any sports programs. He did however, participate in music programs and band throughout high school and for some time afterward. He went to Illinois State Fair with the band in 1931. Soon after high school, The Great Depression set in over the country and changed many plans for the future. He turned to farming for a vocation. On February 4, 1933, he and Ada Burns, his high school sweetheart, were married in the home of Adas parents in Fenton Township. They farmed in Fenton area for 60 years, before moving to Morrison, IL in January 1993. Cliff worked for R.C. Smith Transportation for approximately 20 years. During that time, he drove a school bus for Erie School District, set up the school bus routes for the Tampico district and drove the Scenic Route bus from Davenport/Clinton to Freeport. Cliff and Ada have four children: Mary Jo (Ernest) Verhulst of St. Charles, MO; Merle (Sharon)Reisenbigler of Morrison; John (Linda) Reisenbigler of Fenton; and Constance (Kenneth) Lewis of Eau Claire, WI. There are nine grandchildren, three step grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and four step great grandchildren. Also two sisters, Mrs. Amy Enright of Erie, IL and Vada (Bob) Wendell of Moline, IL. Cliff was a member of Fenton United Methodist Church where he was treasurer for 24 years and served on various committees and positions. He had been a member of the Farm Bureau since 1933, served on Fenton and Erie school boards for 37 years, Erie Library Board for 12 years, and served on the Fenton Elevator Board. Cliff was Fenton Township Assessor for 18 years. After retirement from farming, he bought a second hand computer, and after 30 minutes with the owner learning to turn the machine on and getting the software in operation, he took it home and with the aid of accompanying manuals, he learned to use it. In his last days, Cliff still tracked all the farm records and medical expenses on one computer and e-mailed the family daily on the other. He compiled a book REMEMBERING ERIE and published it in 1995. Published another book REISENBIGLER FAMILY RECORD AND HISTORY in 1996. Then he and Ada compiled another book in 2003, THE BURNS FAMILY RECORD, a recording of the names and birthdays of some 280 descendants of Adas Great Grandparents. He also compiled data for an unpublished book, FENTON - THIS THAT AND WHAT NOT. In August 1999, the Humanities Council of the State of Illinois notified Cliff that he was chosen to receive the Studs Terkel Humanities Award for his work in preserving history with his book, Remembering Erie. Cliff was 96 years old and was married to Ada for 73 years. Cliff will be deeply missed and forever loved; we all have many great memories and were blessed to have had him in our lives. Goodbye and thank you Cliff.........
FUNERAL SERVICE WHEN AND WHERE: 1:30 p.m. Monday, August 14, 2006 at the Fenton United Methodist Church " Fenton, IL VISITATION 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, August 13, 2006 at the Morrison Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral HomeINTERMENT Fenton Cemetery " Fenton, IL
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FUNERAL SERVICE WHEN AND WHERE: 1:30 p.m. Monday, August 14, 2006 at the Fenton United Methodist Church " Fenton, IL VISITATION 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, August 13, 2006 at the Morrison Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral HomeINTERMENT Fenton Cemetery " Fenton, IL
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