History
Schildknecht Funeral Home & Cremation Services has been serving O'Fallon area families for years. We are honored to be a part of the rich history of this community and plan to be a part of it for many years to come.
The History of Schildknecht Funeral Home in O'Fallon, Illinois
Schildknecht Funeral Home, O'Fallon's only continuously family owned and operated funeral home in O'Fallon Illinois, located at 301 S. Lincoln Ave. was founded August 1, 1949 by Phillip W. & Frances K. (nee Battoe) Schildknecht Sr.
The Schildknecht Family is now in it's third generation of service to the community. We are committed to caring and serving the needs of families in our community. We are able to conveniently serve the surrounding metro east communities.
The Schildknecht Family and staff are proudly affiliated with the National Funeral Directors Association, An Association of Metro East Family Owned and Operated Funeral Homes, Cremation Association of North America, O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce, O'Fallon Rotary Noon Club and many other community and civic organizations.
Schildknecht Funeral Home is currently comprised of funeral directors Curtis L. Schildknecht and Christine Brennan, funeral assistants John Sissom, Greg Faragher, and Administative Assistant Jamie Gould.
The Early Beginnings of our Facility
Written by J. Christine Schildknecht for the O’Fallon Historical Society “Our Town”, Published in the O’Fallon Progress Thursday November 2, 1989
A stately building yes, that’s what it is, and it’s located at the corner of West Third Street and South Lincoln Avenue. The funeral homes in Illinois was originally built for a local physician, Dr. Hermann Bechtold in 1903.
At that time, the first floor was used as a medical facility, the second floor was the residence of the doctor and his family, and the third floor was used for storage because it was a full sized attic. The basement was also full a full sized room, housing a big coal furnace that was still in use as late as 1974.
This building was the first of its kind to have a gravity flow storage water system with a holding tank of 500 gallons. A solarium was on the first floor at the South Lincoln side (front) entrance, and a ballroom was on the second floor.
The building still has two fireplaces in use, both of which were shipped from the “the Old Country.” The most magnificent of the two is on the first floor. It has the original finish, rosewood with inlaid 24-kt. gold and mother-of-pearl with Italian mosiac tile hearth. There is also mahogany woodwork and crystal cut, lead glass windows on both the first and second floors. It is easy to understand why this building was called “the Bechtold mansion”. Through the years the building has been occupied by many people, but in 1949, Phillip W. Schildknecht Sr. and his wife, Frances K. Schildknecht (nee Battoe) established a funeral business, the Schildknecht Funeral Home. An addition was built in 1959 bringing the total square footage to 14,000 feet which well accommodates the business and families it serves. Schildknecht Funeral Home is now in its third generation of family involvement both of living and working in this facility and is now under the management of Curtis L. Schildknecht president.
The building depicts the unique architecture of the turn of the century and continues to play a significant part in the history of our fair city.
Leading Funeral Homes in Illinois That Families Trust
What Makes Us Unique
When someone asks, “Is there an affordable funeral home near me?” their friends and family will tell them to call Schildknecht Funeral Home. We are not just any funeral home, we have years of experience combined with highly professional, friendly, and compassionate staff. It is for these reasons that hundreds of O'Fallon area families each year use our services.
Schildknecht Funeral Home is an affordable funeral home that embraces traditional values, diversity, and innovation when honoring each person we serve.
Schildknecht Funeral Home offers a full selection of:
- Funeral and memorial services, ranging from traditional to uniquely innovative and personal
- O’Fallon Burial services and O’Fallon cremation services
- Celebrant Services
Schildknecht Funeral Home understands that letting go of a loved one is a tough process; so to provide your family peace-of-mind we offer complete care. Being able to say, “there is an affordable funeral home near me” allows you to focus on comforting each other as you prepare to say goodbye instead of worrying.
We answer the question, “Is there an affordable funeral home near me”
During this time there are many decisions you may have to make, so we want to assure you that we will guide you through the entire process every step of the way. We promise to help you:
- Design a fitting memorial or funeral service to honor the memory of your loved one
- Select appropriate products, including a casket, burial vault, cremation urn, cemetery or mausoleum
- Write a fitting obituary to honor the life and experiences of the deceased
- Assist in the publication of the obituary in the newspapers of your choice.
- Create a Book of Memories™, a beautiful, permanent online memorial, where you and your family can build a legacy of memories by archiving treasured photos
- Welcome your family and friends to our funeral home for your planned services, including a viewing, visitation, funeral or memorial service.
- Make all arrangements with regards to the services
- Provide you with beautiful funeral print materials, including memorial folders, prayer cards, and bookmarks.
- Provide a hearse and funeral cars, as well as arrange for escorts.
- Help you select flowers and arrange them on-site.
- Provide access to grief education and support materials, and referrals to counseling services.
- Prepare all paperwork, including vital record statistics, permits, filing and obtaining death certificates, and assistance with life insurance, veteran’s benefits and Social Security claims.
Choosing Schildknecht Funeral Home is choosing an affordable funeral home that is compassionate, and will deliver impeccable service. Our pledge is to honor your loved one and treat them with dignity, as well as treating your family with respect and paying attention to every detail.
We welcome you to give us a call at (618) 632-3713 if you have any questions! We also want to remind you that if you are in immediate need, we are available to you 24 hours a day.
Get in Touch
Schildknecht Funeral Home & Cremation Services
301 S. Lincoln Avenue
O'Fallon, IL 62269
PHONE: (618) 632-3713
