Wendt Funeral Home
Telephone
(309) 764-6781
Description
Wendt Funeral Home is the longest-serving, same family-owned funeral home in IL and IA and the fifth in the USA. The Wendt family has been in the funeral business for six generations. They began in 1866 with J. Robert Earler, who came to Illinois from Germany around 1853. As an established cabinetmaker, he was called upon to provide wooden caskets for area farmers. When a person passed away in those days, the funeral was usually conducted in the home of the deceased, and the burial was in a plot on the family farm. Shortly after the Civil War, Mr. Earler opened a funeral parlor in Port Byron, IL, and Earler's son-in-law, August H. Wendt, took over the business from 1881 to 1920, and at that time, Earl and Robert, the sons of August Wendt, ran the business until 1945. The current location of Wendt Funeral Home, a large Queen Anne Victorian house built in Moline in 1902, was purchased by Earl and Robert Wendt in 1929. Earl Wendt II handled the business with his brother, Richard, from 1945 until Earl's death in 1967. Earl “Buck” Wendt III, along with his uncle Rich and brothers, ran the home until Richard's retirement in 1985, at which time he then acquired ownership and operated Wendt Brothers Funeral Home/Wendt Funeral Home. In 1977, Earl’s son, Earl Wendt IV, joined him as an apprentice in the funeral home and then became a licensed Funeral Director in 1983 after graduating from Worsham School of Mortuary. Upon the death of Earl 'Buck' Wendt III, Wendt Funeral Home is now owned and operated by his son, Earl Wendt IV, the sixth generation of the family business. Today, Wendt Funeral Home is the longest-standing, family-owned funeral home in IL and IA, and is fifth in the USA. Wendt Funeral Home continues to be “just the right size” funeral home to provide high-quality, personalized service to the families in our community.
To send flowers to Wendt Funeral Home please visit our sympathy store.
Additional Details
To send flowers to Wendt Funeral Home please visit our sympathy store.
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