Donald Joseph Wachtel Sr.

Donald J. Wachtel, Sr., 81, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, born February 24, 1939, in East St. Louis, Illinois, passed away, Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at Freeburg Care Center in Freeburg, Illinois but was at home in the hearts of his family.

Don graduated from East St. Louis High School in June of 1957. He was a proud “ESL High Flyer” and never missed their reunions every five years, as well as class birthday parties. In the summer of 1957, he attended a summer engineering program at University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and continued to have fond memories of the school. He became an Engineering Technician for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and worked there until he retired in 1991.

Don could make a friend anywhere he went, much to his kids dismay when they were young, and envy as they became adults. He loved to talk, reminisce and tell stories. With his sister on the phone, his friends at the YMCA or his old high school buddies, he was never at a loss for words.

He loved his kids and supported everything they did. He helped them buy their first cars and taught himself to work on them to keep them running. Most weekends he could be found in the driveway, Jack Benny or Jack Buck on the radio, tinkering and keeping things patched together. Cars, wood working or his beloved model trains, he liked to keep busy.

The finest role in his life was being a grandpa. He loved his grandkids with his entire being. He loved listening to them play music and would go listen to them any chance he got. He may have preferred Sinatra, but he would always be smiling and tapping along to the hardest of heavy metal and punk rock, just happy to be there. He went to every game or event he could, and loved hearing about his granddaughters adventures on the climbing wall. Baseball, soccer, music or rock climbing, he loved what his grandkids did and bragged about it to anyone that would listen. He was made to be a grandpa.

There is so much to be said about his love for family and friends but the biggest part of his heart was reserved for his wife Trudy. Annual trips to Branson, old movies, monthly dinners with friends, he loved every minute he got to be with her. His smile says it all, captured in so many photographs over the years. When circumstances prevented them from being in the same room, all he wanted was to hear her voice on the phone. He loved her until the end.

A beloved brother, father, grandfather, friend, father in law and husband his loss leaves a hole in all of our hearts and he will be sorely missed.

To close with one of his favorites:

The days may be cloudy or sunny

We’re in or we’re out of the money

But I’m with you always

I’m with you rain or shine

-Frank Sinatra

He was preceded in death by his parents, Phillip H. and Helen B., nee Gould, Wachtel.

Surviving to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Trudy Wachtel, nee Gavett, of Fairview Heights, Illinois; his children, Donald J. “Joe” (Lori) Wachtel, Jr., of Urbana, Illinois and Shannon (Mark) Groth, of St. Louis, Missouri; grandchildren, Melody, Daniel, Ben, Maggie, Andrew; his sister, Karen (Donald)Manson, Mooresville, North Carolina; and many other relatives and friends.

Memorials are appreciated to the Belleville Humane Society. Condolences may be expressed online at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com.

Funeral: Due to current Covid-19 mitigations, services are being held privately with Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville, Illinois.