Warren Billhartz

Warren Billhartz
Warren Billhartz, 79, of Collinsville, Ill., born Jan. 3, 1927, in Centralia, Ill., died Monday, Aug. 21, 2006, at 9:33 p.m. at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Mo.
Mr. Billhartz attended public schools in New Baden before joining the U.S. Merchant Marine as a crew member. A veteran of two dozen crossings of the North Atlantic, at age twenty, he received his U.S. Coast Guard certificate of registry as a staff officer. He also holds the Atlantic War Zone bar.
He later returned to school and graduated from Illinois College and Washington University Law School. During law school and for three years after his graduation, he was associated with the law firm of Johnson & Johnson in Belleville. He is a licensed attorney in Illinois and Missouri.
A former Assistant Attorney General of the State of Illinois, Billhartz was elected to three consecutive terms in the Illinois General Assembly as Representative from the old 42nd and 55th districts. He served in the Illinois House until 1960, when he did not seek re-election. He was also a charter member and first president of the Clinton County Board of School Trustees.
He was a second generation banker and has been in banking since 1954. For 21 years he was with First National Bank of Collinsville, as President and then Chairman. He was chairman and principal stockholder of that bank when it was bought by United Missouri Bank in 1987.
Warren was the Founder, Chairman and principal stockholder of FCB Banks, having locations in Collinsville, Maryville, Troy, Edwardsville, Highland, O'Fallon, Swansea, New Baden, Albers and St. Louis.
Warren's generous donations and gifts were responsible for the O.W. Billhartz Civic Center in New Baden, Lehrter Community Park in Albers, the statue at the Police Station and the future home of the Billhartz Animal Shelter in Collinsville as well as the Illinois College Student Investment Fund. In addition many other charitable organizations benefited from his anonymous donations.
He is preceded in death by parents, Oliver W. and Marie, nee Engelhart, Billhartz.
He is survived by his wife, Marcia Anne, nee Allan, Billhartz of Collinsville, Ill., whom he married Sept. 28, 1979, in Kaui, Hawaii; a son, Ward (Chris) Billhartz of New Baden, Ill.; three daughters, Jan Billhartz of Dallas, Tex., Jean T. Billhartz of Tustin, Calif., and Susan Zavaglia of Maryville, Ill.; a sister, Eileen (Olin) Hoffmann of New Baden, Ill.; nine grandchildren, Garrett, Shane, and Jordan Zavaglia, Taylor Singleton, Chandler Lotridge, Danielle and Rachel Billhartz and McCall and Caden Sheetz; Loving pet, Shady Francis; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
In lieu of flowers memorials are requested to Collinsville's future Billhartz Animal Shelter. Memorials may be sent to FCB Collinsville Bank, 800 Beltline Road, Collinsville, Ill., 62234.

Visitation: No visitation will be held.

Funeral: A private memorial service will be held. Per Mr. Billhartz's request his body was cremated.

ALLAN & CIUFERI FUNERAL HOME, Collinsville, Ill.