Thomas B. Wunderlich

Dateline: West Alton, MO Thomas B. Wunderlich, 87, died at 12:24 a.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at his residence. He was born March 15, 1928 in Wood River the son of the late William and Emma (Roderfeld) Wunderlich. Thomas was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in West Alton, MO and the Orchard Farm VFW Post 4219. He was a combat Engineer on the front lines during the Korean War. Always a busy man, he started the trash route in West Alton, was a founding member of the West Alton Fire Department, helped with the design and building of the veterans memorial in West Alton, helped with the placing of the the Our Lady of the River statue in Portage Des Sioux, Mo. He worked 23 years for Riverside Sand and Dredging and retired in 1991 as a heavy equipment operator for Koepke Excavating and Local 513 operating engineers. One of his final wishes was to own a 1926 Ford Model T Coupe like he had as a child. His children made that dream come true this last weekend; he was able to instruct them how to operate it and he got to take one last ride. On September 15, 1956, in St. Louis he married LaVerne Kubisak and she preceded him in death on April 30, 2015. Surviving are five children, Tommy M. Wunderlich (Jamie) of O’Fallon, MO, Danny A. Wunderlich (Mary) of West Alton, MO., Lori Connoyer of West Alton, Jimmy Wunderlich (Cindy) of St. Charles, Mo., and Judy “Bug” Gruendler (John) of St. Charles, Mo., thirteen grandchildren, Christopher (Lindsay), Patrick (Gigi), Steve, Joseph, Shelley (Troy), Jerad, Aaron, Alex, James, Isabella, Abby, Cliff, and Julie, three great-grandchildren, Leighton, Madison, and Alyvia, one brother; Victor Wunderlich, four sisters; Laura Bechtold, Helen Muhlholland, Pauline Brass and Catherine Kruger. He was preceded in death by four brothers; John Wunderlich, Kenneth Wunderlich, Charles “Ferd” Wunderlich and Lawrence “Bozo” Wunderlich and three sisters; Lillian Hunn, Eileen Hayes and Wynona “Dutch” Beckham. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Thursday, November 12, 2015 at Gent Funeral Home in Alton, IL with a VFW Post 4219 walk thru beginning at 6:30 p.m. followed by a prayer service. A mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, November 13, 2015 at SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church with Monsignor Kenneth Steffen to officiate. Burial will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis with full military honors. Memorials may be made to VFW Post 4219, c/o Stan Steinhoff, 2835 Hwy. B, and St. Charles, MO 63301. Additional information and online guest book may be found at www.gentfuneralhome.com

Tributes

Thomas B. Wunderlich

March 15, 1928 - November 4, 2015