Otto Gehant

Otto L. Gehant age 85 of Franklin Grove and formerly of Amboy, died Saturday April 19, 2008 at the Franklin Grove Health Care Center. He was born July 23, 1922 in West Brooklyn, IL the son of George and Zita (Meyer) Gehant. He had been employed as a Stationary Engineer at the Dixon Developmental Center for over 20 years prior to his retirement January 1, 1983. He served in the United States Army 99th Infantry First Cav. Mule Pack during W.W.II. He was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church Amboy. He was a member of and Past Commander of the Amboy American Legion Post Poth-Lavalle. He was a member of and Past Commander of the Lee County American Legion. He was a Life Member of the Rochelle VFW Post. He was a member of the Amboy Knights of Columbus, Mendota Elks Club and past member of the Amboy Park Board. He had been a member of the Amboy City Council from 1983 until 1985 and had served as mayor of Amboy from 1985 until 1989. He was married to Mary Jane Blue in West Brooklyn, IL Nov. 29, 1945. He is preceded in death by his parents; 1 brother Gilbert Gehant; 1 sister Georgiana Parks and 1 granddaughter Lynn Gehant. He is survived by his wife of Franklin Grove; 3 daughters Karen (Frank) Stenzel, of Amboy, Mary (Richard) Sanders of Dixon and Zita (Phil) Westbrook of Dixon; 1 son Jerry (Ronda) Gehant of Breaux Bridge, LA.; 2 sisters Marybelle Novak of Dixon and Elaine Gehant of Kearney, NE 6 grandchildren Mandy (Carlos) LeBlanc, Sr. and Sara Gehant of LA, Kim (Nate) Girton of Chana, Chris (Kristin) Stenzel of Rochester MN, Dustin (Brennecke) Westbrook of Sterling and Darcie Westbrook of San Antonio TX; 7 great-grandchildren Alexis, Carlos Jr., Kade, Noelle, MyKensey, Zaden and Zyan. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 beginning with a 10:00 AM prayer service in the Jones Funeral Home in Amboy followed by a 10:30 AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Amboy with the Rev. Carl Beekman, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery in West Brooklyn with military graveside rites by the Amboy American Legion. Visitation will be held on Monday, April 21, from 2:00 until 4:00 and 6:00 until 8:00 PM with the rosary recited at 7:30 PM in the funeral home. Memorials have been established to St. Patrick Church and the Amboy Fire Dept.

Otto Gehant

July 23, 1922 - April 19, 2008