A. Charles Mueller

PERU — A. Charles Mueller, 88, of Peru, longtime area funeral director, passed away peacefully Thursday morning, March 14, 2013 at Manor Court of Peru.

Mr. Mueller was born April 26, 1924, in Earlville to A.O. and Louise (Franckey) Mueller. He married Jean E. Yenerich on April 7, 1945, at St. Theresa's Church in Earlville.

He attended the University of Illinois before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was an aerial navigator in the Army Air Corps during World War II and the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He flew B-24s and B-25s in World War II and B-29s in the Korean Conflict.

He graduated from Worsham College. He was the founder and former president of Mueller Funeral Homes in Peru, Ottawa and Lostant and a partner in Mueller-Pagani Funeral Home, LaSalle and Prey-Mueller Funeral Home, Oglesby.

He was a member of St. Joseph's Church, Peru, past president of the Holy Name Society, St. Benedict's Court, COF, Calvert Council Knights of Columbus, 60-year member of the Peru American Legion Post, Fraternal Order of Eagles, past president of the Peru Rotary Club where he had 41 years of perfect attendance and was a Paul Harris Fellow, past president (five terms) Tri-City T.B. Society, chairman of the LaSalle County Welfare Advisory Board (six terms), Peru CSO, LaSalle-Peru Elks Lodge, LaSalle-Peru Chamber of Commerce since 1950, Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce since 1978, and St. Bede Alumni Club.

He is survived by his wife, Jean of Peru; five children, Barbara (William) Peters of Fort Worth, Texas; A. Charles (Donna) Mueller Jr. of LaSalle, Arthur (Ellen) Mueller of Ottawa, John (Cynthia) Mueller, M.D. of Dunlap, and Jane (Steven) Fly of Houston, Texas; 18 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one daughter, Debora Mueller.

Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the Mueller Funeral Home in Peru followed by a Mass of Christian burial at noon in St. Joseph's Church, Peru with the Rev. Harold Datzman, OSB officiating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Spring Valley with full military rites conducted by the Peru Veterans Memorial Group. Pallbearers will be his seven grandsons, Scott Mueller, Mike Peters, Chris Mueller, Greg Mueller, Ross, Chuck and Mitch Fly.

Visitation will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home with recital of the rosary at 2:45 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be directed to a church or charity of the donor's choice.

The online guestbook may be viewed and remembrances shared at www.MuellerFH.com.