Alger Schuettpelz, 86, of O’Fallon, Missouri, passed away peacefully on May 28, 2025, with his wife, Althea, by his side. He was born in Suring, on Oct. 5, 1938, to Harold and Gertrude Schuettpelz, and grew up on the family farm.
Alger (Al) was a devoted husband, father, grandpa and friend. After some early jobs right out of high school, which included driving the milk truck to the area farms to pick up milk cans and take them to Manthei’s cheese factory, he graduated from DeVry University and worked as an electrical engineer for Hewlett-Packard for 35 years. He was known for his sharp mind, strong work ethic, and incredible organizational skills.
He married Althea Rakow on Aug. 22, 1959. They raised four children and built a life full of family, travel and shared values. Al had a great sense of humor and a memorable laugh.
He loved playing lots of different card games with his family, but especially a family-created game called Bronco. There were many spirited family Christmases and get-togethers with Bronco tournaments, and he and Althea were quite the Bronco team.
He was also dedicated to helping his kids with whatever they needed, from all sorts of home and yard projects, to helping with all the moves in life and then helping fix up those new homes, to babysitting grandkids. No matter what he did to help, he always did it cheerfully.
He loved using his woodworking skills to fix or build things. It seemed like he could fix anything. He used his skills to help with a multitude of school projects, home projects and his famous wheelbarrow planters.
A lifelong Green Bay Packers fan, Al was proud to have his photo in the Packers Hall of Fame after nearly catching Leroy Butler in the first-ever Lambeau Leap. He loved taking his kids to Packers games. Even after leaving Green Bay, he always managed to find somewhere to watch the Packers game.
He loved the outdoors and spent many hours gardening, fishing, playing golf, baseball, yard games, camping and traveling. He planned many fun family vacations, which took his family to places across the United States, Europe and Hawaii.
He also spent years trying to invent the perfect squirrel-proof birdfeeder — a mission he took very seriously. Though the squirrels may have won a few rounds, Al never gave up the battle. He was a dedicated volunteer, giving his time to Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels and his local church.
Alger was a man of deep faith and loved singing the old Lutheran hymns. St. John Lutheran in Suring was the church and school they both went to growing up. He and Althea enjoyed attending polka festivals and dancing together for hours. Above all, he was a proud grandpa and great-grandpa who rarely missed a game, concert or event.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Althea; his four children, Robin Zellmer (Tim), Renee Probst (Dave), Rob Schuettpelz (Jill) and Becky Halcomb (Jeff); 14 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and siblings, Naomi Bahrke, Alvin Schuettpelz, June Ruege and Dennis Schuettpelz.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers-in-law, Don Bahrke and Don Ruege; and sister-in-law, Ellen Schuettpelz.
Alger was a man of strong family values, with a steady presence, quiet generosity and dry wit. He is dearly loved and will be missed by all who knew him.
A memorial service is being held at St. John Lutheran Church in Suring on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 2 p.m. with a reception and food to follow. Please send any memorial gifts to St. John Lutheran Church and School in Suring.
Alger L. Schuettpelz
