After serving two years in the U.S. Army, most of which was in Korea, Mr. Poettker worked in the trucking industry and was a member of Teamsters Local 50 for 30 years. He then worked six years as the maintenance man at St. Teresa’s Parish and one year as the caretaker at Pete’s Lake.
A member of the Teamster Local 50 Retirees, Linus was also a member of St. Teresa Parish, Belleville, IL, Catholic War Veterans Belleville Post 370, and Belleville-Swansea Moose Lodge 1221. He was a four-year member of the board of directors of the Little Knights Football Club. During this time, he worked very hard to help maintain and improve the property at their home field, which improved the overall operations and experience for kids and families. Linus was blessed to have made lifelong friends from this experience, and he instilled in his sons the concept of giving back by serving the community.
Linus also enjoyed cutting firewood, gardening, butchering hogs, helping others, and working in his garage-workshop on anything that needed to be fixed or maintained. Basically, Linus loved to work!
He was preceded in death by a son, Paul Poettker; his parents, Gerhard and Bertha, nee Woltering, Poettker; four brothers, Ralph Poettker, Marcellus Poettker, James Poettker, and Robert Poettker; four sisters, Adelphia Reilmann, Clara Mae Thole, Lorena Rolves, and Ann Stanley; ten brothers-in-law, Joseph Kleffner, Erwin Rolves, Romanus “Bud” Reilmann, William Stanley, Elmer Krebs, David Hensley, Theodore Thole, Leroy Kampwerth, Jerry Metze, and Vic Gerling; and two sisters-in-law, Pauline Gerling and Louise Poettker.
Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Barbara Ann, nee Metze, Poettker, whom he married on November 24, 1960;
five sons and a daughter, Alan (Danielle) Poettker of Belleville, IL,
Ann Poettker of Belleville, IL,
John (Cheryl) Poettker of Wichita, KS,
Daniel (Tina) Poettker of Waterloo, IL,
Christopher (Angie) Poettker of Millstadt, IL,
and Leonard (Christina) Poettker of Belleville, IL;
12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren;
four sisters, Martha Kleffner of Waterloo, IL,
Lucille Krebs of Carlyle, IL,
Lillian (Charles) Strube of Marissa, IL,
and Jane Hensley of Breese, IL;
two sisters-in-law, Rita Poettker of Aviston, IL,
and Mary Ann Poettker of Robinson, IL;
and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the Dammert Geriatric Center at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows or to Family Hospice. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.
Visitation: Friends may call from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 9, 2015, and from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Friday, July 10, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL. A recitation of the rosary will be held at 3:30 p.m. and a Catholic War Veterans Butz Jobe Post 370 ritual will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Funeral: Funeral procession will leave at 9:45 a.m. Friday, July 10, from the funeral home for a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Teresa Catholic Church, Belleville, IL, with Msgr. David Darin and Msgr. William McGhee officiating. Burial will follow at Green Mount Catholic Cemetery, Belleville, IL.
Condolences Left For Linus Poettker
Our prayers for Mr. Poettker’s family. Alan and Danielle, Know we are thinking of your familys.
God Bless.
Our Sympathy,
Konradt Family
Carolyn Ridenour
Bob Konradt
Gloria Lord
Gloria J Lord, Dudley, Georgia, 31022
Dan,Tina,Jess and Jacob. I’m so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you. Sending hugs and prayers to get you threw this difficult time.
Susan Hoogerwerf, OFallon, IL, 62269
Dan, so sorry to hear about your dad! My deepest condolences to you and your entire family.
friends,
Jim
Jim Larson, Springfield , IL, 62703
Our prays go out to all, he will be missed..
Deborah Christian, Crawfordville , FL, 32326
Al We are so sorry for your loss We are in prayer for your family
Larry Taylor, Belleville, Illinois, 62223
I will certainly miss his gentle soul. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
Therese Parmenter, Rogersville, Missouri, 65742
Al, Praying the Lord will comfort you, and I’m so sorry for your loss.
Carmen Ledbetter, Waterloo, Illinois, 62298
Dan, so sorry to hear about your dad. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.
Leanne Waugh, Webster Groves, Missouri, 63119
May you find peace when remembering your Dad/Grandpa and all the good times you share and knowing Linus suffers or wants nothing with our Lord Jesus! ^¡^ God Bless all of you! RIP LINUS! ^¡^ ♡
Robert and Beth Hauser, Papillion , NE, 68046
Dear Barbara and family, Linus will surely be missed by his family and many friends. He was a great friend to Stanley and myself over the years.. I can just hear the two of them already kibitzing in heaven over something one or the other did yesterday at work and having a good laugh before starting work!!! My Love and Prayers to all the family .
Rose Heinemann, , ,
Our deepest sympathies and prayers to my dear Aunt Barb and all your family, my cousins. Uncle Linus was so warm hearted and always ready to lend a hand when I lived in Belleville. After we moved to Ridgefield, WA., I had many great conversations by phone with Linus on my way from work. He was never too busy to take my call and we talked and laughed till I got home. Those times, and your visits to us out here were absolutely wonderful and will always be treasured. We will all miss his friendly manner, kindness, deep voice, and that great full on laugh that held nothing back. Prayers for all of you.
Charlie Strube Jr., Marilyn Strube, Tonya and Andy Strube , Ridgefield, WA, 98642
Rest in Peace, Mr. Linus. My prayers are with your family.
Susan Appel Kimball, Naples, FL, 34117
Dan, Debbie and I wanted to say how sorry we are to hear about the loss of your Father. May God comfort you and your family at this difficult time. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Jerry Sherman, Waterloo, Il, 62298