GALE SCHISLER

Gale Schisler

Former United States Congressman and former Illinois State Representative Gale Schisler, 86, of London Mills died at 1:50 a.m. Feb. 2, 2020, at Farmington Country Manor.

He was born March 2, 1933, in Indian Point Township, Knox County, a son of Claire D. and Doris A. Jacobs Schisler. He married Carolyn Cochran in November, 1957. They divorced in 1977. He married Gloria Waller Richter on July 26, 1980, in Springfield. She survives.

Also surviving are one son, Kurt Schisler of Canton; one stepdaughter, Tamara Richter Burris of Petersburg; four sisters, Yvonne Lewis of Decatur, Jody Dolan of Arlington, Texas, Anita (and Brian) Hickok of San Antonio, Texas, and Jeri Schisler of Fuquay-Varina, N.C.; two grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two daughters, Kimberly Jo Schisler and Jill P. Sherwood; one grandson, Aaron Barnes; and one brother, Roger Schisler.

He attended Indian Point School, a one-room school, through the eighth grade and later graduated from Abingdon High School in 1951. He then enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served for four years. After the Air Force, he attended Western Illinois University in Macomb and graduated in 1959 with a bachelor of science degree in education. In 1962, he graduated from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksville, Mo. (now Truman State University), with a masters degree.

His first teaching job was in London Mills as a teacher and principal.

In November, 1964, he was elected to the U.S. Congress. There he served on the House Committee on Science and Aeronautics (sub-committee on Manned Space Flight) as well as other committees.

When returning to Illinois, Gov. Otto Kerner asked him to head the Office of Intergovernmental Cooperation.

In 1968, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. He remained there for 12 years, six of which he was chairman of the Agriculture Committee. He served on a number of other committees.

When he didn’t win re-election in 1980, he became an assistant to the director of the State’s Attorneys Appellate Commission. He retired at the end of 1986.

He belonged to the Former Members of Congress, NRA, American Legion and was a 32nd Degree Mason and 50-year member of the London Masonic Lodge #808 in Silvis, and a member of the Missouri Fox Trotters Horse Breed Association.

Funeral services were held Monday at London Mills United Methodist Church with Rev. Russ Rhodes officiating. Burial with military rites was in the Abingdon Cemetery. Hinchliff-Pearson-West, Inc. in Abingdon was in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to London Mills United Methodist Church, 201 Plato St., London Mills, IL 61544 or to Western Illinois University Foundation, 303 Sherman Hall, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455.

Condolences may be sent to www.h-p-w.com.

Published in the Astoria South Fulton Argus on 2/12/2020