SR1273LRB103 42760 ECR 76001 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to 
3congratulate the Wendt Funeral Home for being one of the 
4oldest funeral homes in the United States; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The Wendt Funeral Home was originally established 
6by cabinetmaker J. Robert Earler in 1866; and
 
7    WHEREAS, J. Robert Earler, who came to Illinois from 
8Germany and was called upon to provide wooden caskets to 
9farmers in the area, opened a funeral parlor in Port Byron 
10shortly after the Civil War; he then passed his business to his 
11son-in-law, August H. Wendt, in 1881; and
 
12    WHEREAS, August H. Wendt ran the funeral parlor from 1881 
13to 1920 before passing it on to his sons, Earl and Robert 
14Wendt, who ran the family business until 1945; during their 
15ownership, they purchased a large Queen Anne Victorian house 
16in Moline, where the business continues to operate; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The Wendt Funeral Home continued to be passed on 
18through brothers and sons; today, it is owned and operated by 
19Earl Wendt IV, the sixth generation of the family, who became a 
20licensed funeral director after graduating from Worsham School 
21of Mortuary in 1983 and took over the funeral home upon his 
 
 
SR1273- 2 -LRB103 42760 ECR 76001 r

1father's passing; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The Wendt family is immensely proud of the family 
3funeral business and credits its success to their values of 
4compassion, professionalism, and attention to detail, a legacy 
5carried on through six generations; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL 
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the 
8Wendt Funeral Home for its longstanding business and service 
9to its community, and we wish it many more years of operation 
10for generations to come; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
12presented to the Wendt Funeral Home as a symbol of our respect 
13and esteem.