Posted on: Jefferson County Obituaries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Mo/JeffersonObits/208 Surname: Heiligtag, Kohler, Huckie, Runge, Buechting, Bauer ------------------------- Businessman, community leader Heiligtag, 80, dies ( Courier Journal, Wed., March 17, 1993 - by Rebecca Hudson - Staff writer.) Elmer August Heiligtag, a former owner of Heiligtag Funeral Homes and lifelong county resident, died Saturday of acute leukemia at St. Joseph Hospital in Kirkwood. He was 80. " He had a great memory of the families of Jefferson County and enjoyed studying their history." said Heiligtag's daughter, Glee Heiligtag of Imperial. " He knew all the cemeteries in the county and could tell you which cemetery people were buried in. A lot of people called him for genealogy information, and he was always able and anxious to share that information." Heiligtag, who lived in Imperial, and his late brother, Arthur Heiligtag, owned Heiligtag Funeral Homes in Arnold, Imperial and Antonia from 1956 to 1982, when the business was sold to Pfitzinger Mortuaries of Kirkwood. About two years ago, the business was sold to the National Heritage Foundation and now operates Arnold only. The brothers also founded the Festus - Crystal City Monument Co. in Crystal City in the 1930's. The business has since moved to Imperial and is owned by Elmer Heiligtag's nephew-in-law, Bob Bauer. The Heiligtag family's funeral home business started with Heiligtag's grandfather, August Heiligtag, who owned a wagon-making business in Antonia in the 1880's. His business expanded as residents began asking August Heiligtag to make wooden caskets when a family member died. Heiligtag's father, Frederick Heiligtag, then ran the funeral home business from 1927 until his death in 1956. In addition to studying county history, Heiligtag enjoyed caring for his four bloodhounds, Glee Heiligtag said. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department often used one of the dogs, Blue, when hunting fugitives or lost children, she said. Bob Edney, who retired from the sheriff's department in January, said he remembered working with Heiligtag and Blue. "He did a lot of good things like that," Edney said. "He even went out to West County and found a little boy who had wandered away from a mental institution. He was a good man." Longtime friend Frank Magre said Heiligtag and his daughter often spent weekends at their summer home next door to the Magre's home in Herculaneum. Heiligtag would often relax on the deck of their home, which sat on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, Magre said. When they arrived, they would put up the American flag on a pole on the deck," Magre said. "they used to say, 'When you see that flag go up, you come on over.' I can't say anything but good about Elmer. He was a very genuine man." Heiligtag was born to Frederick and Emelia (Buechting) Heiligtag on July 12, 1912 in Antonia. He married Fern Kohler Heiligtag on Sept. 24, 1933, at St. Luke's United Church of Christ on Highway M near Antonia. His wife died in 1982. Heiligtag was a 50-year member of the Herculaneum Masonic Lodge 338 and spent 35 years on the board of directors of the United Missouri Bank of Jefferson County. He also was a member of the Missouri State Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association, Scottish Rite, Kohler City Lions Club, Arnold Elks Club, Pastime Club and Antonia 22 Club and was a past president of the Imperial Improvement Association. Heiligtag is survived by his daughter; two sisters, Carrie Huckie and Loraine Runge, both of Barnhart; and nieces, nephews and cousins. His parents preceded him in death. Services will be held at 2 p.m. today at St. Luke's United Church of Christ. Burial will follow at Antonia Cemetery.