Olin Wetzel

Olin August Wetzel, 93, of Edwardsville, IL died on Thursday, August 24, 2017, at Meridian Care Center in Glen Carbon.
He was born January 14, 1924, in Alhambra, IL the son of the late Joseph C. and Martha (Gehrig) Wetzel.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Judith (Brunworth) and by his second wife Lola (Neibruegge); by one brother Paul Wetzel, and by an infant son Randall J. Wetzel.
Olin married Judith Brunworth on December 29, 1948 at Eden Church in Edwardsville, IL; and following her death in 1986, married Lola Niebruegge on February 20, 1988.
He is survived by two sons, Robert of Hartland, VT and Richard and wife Tracy of Edwardsville; two stepsons, Michael Niebruegge of Houston, TX and Paul Niebruegge of Edwardsville; four grandchildren, Joseph C. Wetzel, Peter J. Wetzel, Johannes A. Wetzel and Ingrid Wetzel; and three great-grandchildren, Miles and Lucy Wetzel, and Jack Arthur Wetzel. In addition, his nieces, nephews and many dear friends will sadly miss him.
Olin was a member of the First Christian Church of Edwardsville.
Olin was a graduate of Edwardsville High School, and of the University of Illinois where he was a member of Delta Chi fraternity and member of the Illini Marching Band. He served as a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Force during World War Two, serving as a supply sergeant in several postings in the United States.
He started his career as a salesman with the Florists Hail Association, working in Pennsylvania and on the east coast. He returned to Edwardsville in 1952 to begin working in the home office of that company, ultimately rising to the position of Executive Vice-President and CEO, a position that he held for 28 years before retiring in 1985. Under his leadership, the small Florists Hail Association grew to become the largest insurer of the florists, flower growers and wholesale florists industry in the world; and grew from an assessment mutual insurance association with three employees to the multi-company Florists Insurance Group, including Florists Mutual Insurance Company, Florists Life Insurance Company and Florists Insurance Services. At his retirement, Florists Insurance Group operated throughout the United States and Canada and employed over 150 people. He also helped to design, and oversaw the construction of, the iconic Florists Insurance Center building on St. Louis Street, which now serves as the Madison County Criminal Justice Center.
Olin was deeply involved in service to the Edwardsville area community, and to the florists and insurance industry worldwide. Locally, he was a member of the Edwardsville Rotary Club, serving as President from 1957 to 1958 and was named a Paul Harris Fellow; was a member of the board of the Edwardsville YMCA, and served as President, as Chairman of the Building Committee that constructed the new YMCA in ESIC and was a founding member of the YMCA's Century Club. He also served as Treasurer of the Edwardsville Chamber of Commerce and of the Greater Edwardsville Area Community Foundation. He was a long-time member of the Board of Directors of The Bank of Edwardsville, and was named an Emeritus Board Member in 2005. Olin also was a founding member of the College Planning Committee, the forerunner of the Southwestern Illinois Council on Higher Education, which advocated for, and succeeded in, the establishment of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
In the florists and insurance industries, Olin served as Vice-Chairman of the Alliance of American Insurers, and on the board of the Illinois State Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. He served on the Board of the Society of American Florists, Illinois State Florists Association, Roses, Inc. and was a charter member and served on the Board and as Treasurer of the American Floral Endowment. He was elected to the American Academy of Floriculture in 1972 and to the Floriculture Hall of Fame in 1987 for his many contributions to the health and welfare of the floral industry in the United States and Canada.
Visitations will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 29, 2017, at Weber & Rodney Funeral Home in Edwardsville and from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30, at the First Christian Church in Edwardsville.
The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, at the First Christian Church with Rev. James Brooks officiating.
In consideration of his long and faithful service to the horticulture industry, floral tributes will be welcomed by the family; and will be distributed throughout the community following interment services. Alternatively, memorials can be made to the Edwardsville YMCA or the First Christian Church of Edwardsville.