Fred W. Apsey Jr.

Fred W. Apsey Jr., 98, of Galesburg, died at 12:10 p.m. Friday, April 21, 2017 in the Knox County Nursing Home.

He was born July 4, 1918, in Galesburg, the son of Fred W. and Maude (Kortge) Apsey Sr. He married Dorothea Hall in 1941 in Galesburg. She preceded him in death March 9, 1993. He later married Yvonne Walters in 1994 in Phoenix, Arizona.

In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Fred W. “Bill” Apsey III.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Yvonne; a son, Stephen H. (Sharon) Apsey of Galesburg; a daughter, Diane (Robert) Apsey Kappus of Prospect Heights, Illinois; a daughter-in-law, Sue Apsey of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; grandchildren, Michelle (Matt) Beck, Shannon (Tom) Teichmiller, Sean (Julie) Apsey, Damon (Chanel) Apsey, Bonny (Rockford) Stites, Courtney (Mike) Robinson, and Whitney (Petros) Kaimakis. Fred was a proud great grandfather of seven.

Fred graduated from Galesburg High School in 1936. He attended Knox College and went on to Purdue University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1941. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1941. After attending Aircraft Engineering School, he was commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant. He was stationed in Natal, Brazil in Jan 1943. This was the location of one of the largest airfields during World War II, and location of all air routes to England, Africa, India, and China, and South Atlantic, where he became Chief Engineer Fourth Es Maintenance. He supervised construction of nine roof only hangars and was Project Engineer on B-29's ferried to India and China. He was discharged in June of 1945 with the rank of Captain.

Fred worked as an estimator for Galesburg Construction Company before joining the Air Force. After his military service, he was employed as a structural engineer and project manager with John Scribbins, Architect. In January 1947, he returned to Galesburg Construction Company as president until retiring in 1975.

Fred participated in numerous professional and local activities. In Galesburg, he was a member of First Presbyterian Church, had served as director of the Chamber of Commerce for four terms, was a member of the Economic Development Committee for 16 years, a member and director at Soangetaha Country Club, and a member of the Airport Committee to finance the airport relocation and construction without the use of tax funds. He was also the chairman of the Knox County Board of Review.

One of his major achievements in retirement was to help see that Charles Ellis, one of his professors at Purdue University, received the recognition he deserved as the actual and unrecognized Designing Engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a long and frustrating process, but due to his and John van der Zee’s and others perseverance, a ceremony on March 25, 2012 at the Bridge, honored Charles Ellis’s role in the Bridge’s design. A plaque commemorates this man’s achievement after almost 75 years.

Cremation will be accorded. Visitation will be noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 27, 2017 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel. Memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. with Rev. Jim Ecklund officiating. Private burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Galesburg Rescue Mission, American Diabetes Association, or Knoxville Presbyterian Church. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.