Funeral arrangements for O’Fallon contractor who died while boating announced
Two visitations and a funeral Mass are planned later this week for well-known contractor Charles “Chuck” Poettker, 69, of O’Fallon, who died Saturday while boating on Kentucky Lake.
The first visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday at the headquarters for Poettker Construction, which Poettker founded 41 years ago and where he was still serving as CEO. The address is 400 S. Germantown Road in Breese.
The second visitation will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 1411 Cross St. in O’Fallon. That will be followed by a 10 a.m. funeral Mass with the Rev. Jim Deiters officiating.
“Once the funeral Mass is finished, we’ll be going in a procession back out to Breese,” said Aimee McGowan, funeral director for Moss Funeral Home. “Interment will be at St. Dominic Cemetery with military honors.”
Poettker was a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War. He earned a bronze star for heroism in 1971, when his unit was ordered to rescue two door gunners and recover the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot of a downed helicopter in Laos.
Poettker’s cause of death is still unknown. Officials are waiting on autopsy and toxicology results.
Poettker’s 47-foot boat was anchored in the Sugar Bay area of Kentucky Lake about 3 p.m. Saturday, when he jumped off the rear swim platform into the water and disappeared, according to a news release from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Searchers found Poettker’s body about two and a half hours later. He was known to be a good swimmer, leading some people to wonder if he had a heart attack or other medical emergency.
Poettker Construction has about 200 employees and a second location in Charlotte, North Carolina. Management includes Poettker’s sons, Kevin, Ryan and Keith Poettker, daughter Kim Luitjohan and longtime employees Tom Albers and Jon Carroll.
Poettker is survived by his wife, Linda, who was on the Sedan Bridge boat with him on Saturday when he disappeared, according to a company spokeswoman.
Nearly 300 people have commented on Poettker Construction’s Facebook page since Poettker’s death was announced Sunday.
They describe him as kind, generous, “one of the good guys,” compassionate, positive, fun, a “true gentleman,” accomplished, an admired business and family man and a “staple in the construction industry.”
JUNE 22, 10:07 a.m.: A Poettker Construction spokesperson originally told the BND that Charles Poettker and his wife were on the boat with another couple when he disappeared. The company has since clarified that the Poettkers were alone on the boat.
This story was originally published July 21, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
