Herschel John Jenkel

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Herschel John Jenkel, age 93, of Pinckneyville, Ill., passed away Saturday morning, March 24, 2012, at his home.

Herschel was born on Nov. 9, 1918, in Perry County, Ill., a son to John Herschel and Mary (Braden) Jenkel. On Sept. 3, 1940, in St. Louis, Missouri, Herschel married Ernestine Schwartzkopf, and she preceded him in death on April 17, 2010.

Herschel worked 38 years as an underground coal miner for Peabody Coal Company, and was a member of UMWA District 12, American Thresherman Association, and the Beaucoup Baptist Church, Pinckneyville, Ill. Growing up on the farm during the Depression, by the age of five, he was plowing with a team of well-seasoned horses and always thought horses were fun and not work. Herschel always loved caring for his farm animals, gardening and sharing his harvest. Some of his hobbies included reading, collecting antique tractors, timber harvesting and operating his own sawmill. He could have been known as "Mr. Fix-it," and collected many a treasure for potential repurposing. Herschel never met a stranger and always welcomed the opportunity to visit.

Herschel is survived by four children, Marilyn (Gene) Pick of Pinckneyville, Ill., Ross (Kathy) Jenkel of Tamaroa, Ill., Susie (Ron) Weeks of Pinckneyville, Ill. and Kathryn (Tony Fontana) Jenkel of Carbondale, Ill.; three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, Nicole (Doug) Teel and their children, Lucas, Brevin, Isaac, Vanessa, Zachary and Carson of Tamaroa, Ill., Kelly (Jay) Pursell and their children, Easton and Ella of Waterloo, Ill. and David Pick of Pinckneyville, Ill.; brother, Lloyd B. (Dorothy) Jenkel of East Peoria, Ill.; sister, Laura Jane Ogilvie of Cerritos, Calif.; sisters-in-law, Erla Jenkel of Pinckneyville, Ill., Irene Schwartzkopf of DuBois, Ill., Irma Stolz of Coulterville, Ill., Virginia Schwartzkopf of Nashville, Ill.; brothers-in-law & sisters-in-law, Richard (Betty) Schwartzkopf of Nashville, Ill., Mervin (Dolores) Schwartzkopf of Nashville, Ill.; numerous nieces and nephews and his faithful canine companions, Pepsi and Brownie.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; brother, Dean Jenkel; brothers-in-law, Jack Ogilvie, Orval Schwartzkopf, Ornell Stolz and James Schwartzkopf.

Funeral services were held at Pyatt Funeral Home, Pinckneyville, Ill. on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Mark Lee officiating. Interment was in Mueller Hill Cemetery, Pinckneyville, Ill.

Friends called at Pyatt Funeral Home on Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Memorials may be made to Beaucoup Baptist Church, Mueller Hill Cemetery, or Perry County Humane Society, and will be accepted at the funeral home.

For more information or to sign an online guest register, please visit www.pyattfuneralhome.com.