Wilbur Egert

Wilbur Darrell Egert, 95, of rural Prophetstown, passed away August 13, 2017, at Boulder Community Hospital surrounded by his family.  A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 21st, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Atkinson. Reverend S. Stephen Engelbrecht will celebrate. Burial will follow at St. Mary of the Field Cemetery, Hooppole. Visitation will be from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Sunday, August 20^th at Vandemore Funeral Home, Atkinson. Contributions can be made to the Wilbur Egert Memorial Fund. All donations will be given to local charities.

Wilbur was born on the family farm, south of Prophetstown, on May 16, 1922, to Perry and Lila (Pritchard) Egert, the oldest of four children.  He married the love of his life, Mary Jean VanDeVelde, on August 27, 1946, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Prophetstown. 

Wilbur farmed north of Atkinson for over 70 years.  He loved the land and his cattle.  He played saxophone for many years in several local bands, including the Prophetstown City Band and Geneseo Maple Leaf Band.  He was a voracious reader and enjoyed flying his 1949 Luscombe Silvaire airplane into his 80’s. 

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jean; and two children, Sandra (Bob) Searls, Longmont, CO, and Terry (Rochelle) Egert, Littleton, CO. His five grandchildren are Stephanie Cusack, Michael Searls, George Pavlantos, Brittni Levering, and Lindsay Phelan. He has eight great-grandchildren. Wilbur is also survived by two sisters, Lavona Oncken and Phyllis Taber. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Lois Oetzel, and three brothers-in-law, Dwight Oetzel, Ronald Oncken, and Nelson Taber. 

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