John Fredric (Fred) Leland Magerkurth

John Fredric (Fred) Leland Magerkurth, 89, of Geneseo, IL, passed away peacefully at Hillcrest Home, Geneseo, on June 7, 2025. A visitation will be held at Vandemore Funeral Home & Crematory- Geneseo Chapel, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Funeral services with Rev. Stephen Mueller officiating will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 11th, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Edford Township; burial will follow at St. John's Lutheran Cemetery. A luncheon for family and friends will be served afterwards. In his memory, memorials may be given to St. John's Lutheran Church, Geneseo, IL, or gifts given to the Harold Neumann Project. Condolences can be left at www.vandemorefuneralhome.com

The son of Leland J. and Margaret V. S. (Schwennsen) Magerkurth, Fred was born October 6, 1935, at Hammond-Henry Hospital in Geneseo, IL. He grew up on a farm in Edford Township and attended Hickory Grove School. In 1953, he graduated from Geneseo High School, where he ran cross country and track and was later inducted into the Geneseo High School Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1952 cross country team, which placed fourth in the state that year. As a youth and young man, he worked for several farmers, later engaging in farming on his own. For twelve years, Fred worked as a carrier for the U. S. Postal Service before starting his career in 1969 with the Illinois State Police, where he served as a state trooper and pilot for ten years before retiring in 1991. After his retirement, he worked for almost 30 years with the Mariman Auction Company.  Fred also served eight years in the United States Navy Reserve. On June 24, 1962, Fred married Sheila Ann Baird at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Rock Island, IL. They lived in Geneseo until 1965, when they moved to a small farm acreage in Munson Township, where they enjoyed raising their four children.

Fred was a lifelong member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Geneseo, where he was baptized into Christ on November 24, 1935, and confirmed in his faith on June 5, 1949. He served on various boards and committees over the years and, along with Bob Daniels, was a staple in St. John's senior choir. Fred enjoyed working on the farm, flying, and shooting with the District 7 Illinois State Police pistol team and winning numerous trophies, annual family fishing vacations in Minnesota and Canada with friends and their children, special vacations to Alaska, to Hawaii, where he visited the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri, and a visit to Normandy, France. He also enjoyed working with "the Mariman Auction crew" and attending his grandchildren's activities. In recent years, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Harold Neumann Project – an effort to share the life history and accomplishments of this aviation pioneer from Geneseo.
 

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Sheila, his children, of whom he was especially proud, and their spouses Steven Magerkurth, Madison, WI, Julie (William) Lage, Orion, IL, Brian (Jennifer) Magerkurth, Geneseo, IL, and Alan (Christina) Magerkurth, Hoffman Estates, IL, his beloved grandchildren Holly (Timothy) Lindsay, C.J. and Taylor Magerkurth, Avery and
Jack Magerkurth, Nicole Magerkurth, great-granddaughter Zoey Lindsay, and sister Lynne Johnson.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Leland and Margaret Magerkurth, and sister and brothers-in-law, Dawn and John Daebelliehn and Lee Johnson.