Stanley Agne
Belleville | Save
Stanley T. Agne, 96, of Belleville, IL, born August 11, 1928, in Belleville, IL, died Friday, December 6, 2024, at Grand Manor retirement home, Swansea, IL.
Stan grew up in the farming community along Old Freeburg Road, near Eckert’s Country Store, and in south Belleville. He attended Turkey Hill, Zion Lutheran and Hertel grade schools and was a 1946 graduate of Freeburg High School.
After meeting his future bride Celeste Schwaegel at a Rural Youth bowling event in Mascoutah in the spring of 1949, Stan was part of Belleville’s January 1951 draft inductees for the Army’s 6th Armored Division, and service in the Korean War.
Stan deployed with a Special Category Army With Air Force (SCARWAF) unit, building and maintaining airfields in Korea. He was honorably discharged in October 1952 as a Staff Seargent with Korean and UN Service Medals. After his return, Stan and Celeste married in August 1953 and built their family home and life near what eventually became Lone Oak Farm, south of Belleville.
Stan was a member of St. Peter’s Cathedral Catholic Church, Turkey Hill Grange, the Smithton American Legion Post 937, the Knights of Columbus Council 1028, and American Federation of Musicians. Stan’s work career included sales for local Daab and Heberer Farm Implement dealers, St. Clair Motors, Staley Paint of St. Louis, and Geisler and Whitehead Roofing companies.
Stan picked up his brother Alvin’s guitar during Al’s WWII service and played rhythm guitar and sang in many local bands spanning seven decades including the AA Trio, Johnny Guitar and the Kingsmen Trio, Country Classics, Variety Men, and Jim Chadderton & The Special Edition.
Stan played basketball for Freeburg High School, fast-pitch softball for St. Clair County’s Rural Youth and Southside’s Pleasant Hill Tavern teams. He was avid fisherman, bowler, and St. Louis Cardinal fan throughout his life. In the circle of life spanning The Silent Generation to Generation Alpha, Stan’s 16th great-grandchild, Austen Stanley Edwards, was born December 6, 2024, hours before Stan’s passing.
Stan was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Celeste M., nee Schwaegel, who died on October 11, 2024; his parents, Walter and Wilhelmina, nee Ladensack; five brothers, Irvin (Ruth) Agne, Alvin (Lil) Agne, Arnold (Helen) Agne, Walter Jr. (Aurelia) Agne and Verlan (Janet) Agne; and his sister Ethel (Leonard) Matychowiak.
Surviving Stan are his four sons, Stanley Keith (Linda) Agne, Craig L. (Christy) Agne, Kent D. (Dr. Mary) Agne, and Wayne M. Agne (Betty Greer); 13 grandchildren, Tim Agne, Mark Agne, Elise Agne, Bethany (Andrew) Edwards, Mike Agne, Travis Agne, Jason (Leah) Agne, Grace (Ethan) Lichvar, Brandy (Jeff) Parmeley, Rachel Holloway, Casey Agne, Joshua (Katie) Agne and David (Angie) Carson; 16 great-grandchildren, Jared, Neil, Thora, Kitt, Logan, Bryce, Hudson, Thatcher, Everly, Easton, Addison, Simon, Austen, Damien, Landon, and Isabelle; his sister, Delores (Edward) Holdener; two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Schwaegel and Helen Tonnies; and many dear nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.
The family would like to give a special thanks to the staff at Grand Manor, Family Hospice, and Barbara Cromer for the love and care given to Stan and Celeste these past few months.
Memorials may be made to Turkey Hill Grange, or to Family Hospice. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.
Visitation: Friends may visit from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, December 15, 2024, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, December 16, 2024, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL.
Funeral: Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, December 16, 2024, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL.
Renner Funeral Home
