Robert Engdahl Obituary

Robert E. Engdahl

Robert E. Engdahl, age 91, a longtime resident of Villa Park, passed away peacefully March 30, 2015, at Park Place of Elmhurst, where he had been living the past three years.

Robert was born and raised in Chicago, where he attended Lane Technical High School. He graduated from IIT in 1949, with a B.S. in chemical engineering. During WW II he was a 1st LT in the US Army Air Corps, serving as a B-29 navigator with the 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron on Guam.

His career began at Marathon Corporation (now American Can Company) in Neenah, Wisconsin. In 1960, he joined a fledgling printing ink company which grew to become a leading supplier of gravure printing inks, Thiele-Engdahl, Inc., from which he retired in 1990.

Robert loved to travel and had many hobbies,among them cooking, gardening, photography, and breeding tropical fish. He also enjoyed the out-of-doors and being on the water, including fishing, sailing, canoe camping and hunting. Always the adventurer, his joy of sailing culminated in a round-the-world voyage on a 38' sailing yacht with his wife, Curlie.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Emily (Faulstich) and Martin Elmer Engdahl.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Curlie Ann, nee Flowers; his children, Cynthia Engdahl (Tony Sekera), Donald (Ruth) Engdahl, and Susan (Donald) Hornbostel; his grandchildren, Matthew Hornbostel and Eric Engdahl; his sister, Adrienne (Richard) Berna; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held Monday, April 27, 2015, at 11:00 AM at the First United Methodist Church of Elmhurst followed by a luncheon at the church. Interment of his ashes is planned for Tuesday morning, April 28th, at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Ellwood, IL.

Arrangements by Steuerle Funeral Home, steuerlefh.com, telephone 630-832-4161.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Elmhurst, 232 S. York Road, Elmhurst, IL, 60126, or to an organization of one's choice.