FRED W. MANSFIELD

Fred Mansfield

Fred W. Mansfield, currently of Blue Island, and a snowbird of St. Petersburg, Fla., died Jan. 15, 2017.

Surviving are one daughter, Jennifer; one sister, Roberta “Bert” (and Jim) Workman; several nieces and nephews; and numerous great- and great-great-nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia “Pat” Dorland Mansfield; his parents, Kathryn Bell Clark and Frederick R. Mansfield; his stepfather, Clifford Rose Sr.; two sisters, Bette (and Ted) Keller and Mary (and Harvey) Everhart; and one stepbrother, Clifford “Cliff” (and Lucille “Lu”) Rose.

He grew up on a farm in Central Illinois near Bluff City.

Before finishing high school, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Korea then returned back home to finish school. After graduation, he served a second tour with the Army as a Military Police Officer based in Chicago at the beginning of World War II.

He then settled down in Havana and worked as a funeral director, bookkeeper, an ambulance driver and a store manager.

He took the very first deposit at the State Bank of Havana as assistant cashier, when it opened in the early 1950s. Three years later, he and Pat moved to Astoria when he became the cashier at Farmer’s State Bank. In 1961, they moved to Blue Island when he was invited to take the position of assistant vice president at First National Bank of Blue Island where he reached the role of president and chief operating officer.

After retirement, he continued to serve the bank and the community as the president and director of Great Lakes Charitable Foundation for years.

He was an active member of Christ Memorial United Church of Christ of Blue Island, served on the District 218 School Board, sponsored and sang with the Blue Island Community Chorus, was the former president of the Blue Island Chamber of Commerce, was a distinguished private and corporate donor to St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island (now MetroSouth) and an integral leader in the founding of Blue Cap School in Blue Island. He was a Certified Lay Leader in the Methodist Church, a Shriner in the Chanter’s Unit and a 50-year Master Mason.

Visitation will be held Friday from 3-8 p.m. at the Krueger Funeral Home, 13050 S. Greenwood Ave., Blue Island. He will be lying in state on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m. at his church, 2440 York St., Blue Island. Burial will be in First Ev. Lutheran Cemetery, Alsip.

Memorials may be made to Blue Cap School, 1962 Broadway, Blue Island, IL 60406; www.blue-cap.org.

Published in the Astoria South Fulton Argus on 1/18/2017