Herman A. Saathoff, 92, Ashkum, IL

Herman A. Saathoff, 92, of Ashkum passed away Sunday morning, February 24, 2013, following a lengthy illness at Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka.  Funeral services for Mr. Saathoff will be Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church in Ashkum.  Mr. Don Gillespie will officiate.  Friends may call for one hour prior to the services at the church in Ashkum.  Burial with military honors by the Ashkum American Legion will be in the Danforth Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to the Zion Lutheran Church in Ashkum.  The Knapp Funeral Home in Clifton is in charge of the arrangements.  Please sign his guestbook at knappfuneralhomes.com.

Mr. Saathoff was born on January 18, 1921 at Danforth, the son of John and Leona Louise Brockman Saathoff. His parents are deceased. Mr. Saathoff is survived by two daughters and sons in law, Carol and Howard Haley of Kempton, IL and Cynthia and Glenn Behrends of Bloomington, IL. There are three sons and two daughters in law, Stanley and Becky Saathoff of Ashkum, Richard “Rick” and Tammy Saathoff also of Ashkum and Steven Saathoff of Watseka, IL. There are eleven grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by a brother and sister in law, Leo and Bunnie Saathoff of Bourbonnais and two sisters, Agnes Gresen of Bradley, IL and Barbara Miller of Kankakee, IL. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers, two sisters and 2 grandchildren .

Mr. Saathoff was a life long farmer and had raised and sold seed corn for Pioneer Hybrids for 23 years. He was a member and former board member of Zion Lutheran Church in Ashkum. He was a veteran of the US Navy in WWII. He had served aboard the USS Major DD697, escort for the USS Missouri and General MacArthur to the armistice signing in Japan. He enjoyed playing cards and being with his family.