Allen Dale Wurster

Allen Dale Wurster, age 90, of Elizabeth, IL, passed away December 22, 2024 at Allure Nursing Home, in Mt. Carroll, IL. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 28, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, in Massbach, IL. Visitation will take place from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., prior to the service. Burial will follow at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery. A light lunch will follow.

Allen was born January 7, 1934, in Pleasant Valley Township, the son of Raymond and Viola (Endress) Wurster. He attended Bethel Country School through the eighth grade then made the decision to work full time for his family’s farm, and also for neighboring farms.

In 1954, Allen enlisted in the United States Army, serving until 1956. On March 29, 1959, Allen married Shirley Winter. They would go on to have three children and remain lifelong farmers of rural Elizabeth. Allen also served as Director for Woodbine Mutual Insurance, was a church council member at St. John’s and a Trelay corndealer.

Allen and Shirley created a life full of love and happiness. They worked hard on their family and their farm, and loved to play cards with friends and in card clubs, and would regularly go dancing on the weekends.

After his long days on the farm, Allen would often unwind with basketball and softball leagues, in his younger years, and he always enjoyed attending stock car races and tractor pulls.

Throughout his years, Allen assembled quite the collection of farm toys, and rarely missed a chance to cheer on his Chicago teams; Bears, Cubs, and Bulls. Despite his limited formal education, Allen possessed a curious mind and never stopped learning; even continuing to read encyclopedias into his 80’s. And it was that curious mind that made him such a delight to run into at a coffee shop, or just out and about. He could carry on a conversation with anyone and genuinely enjoyed his fellow community members. But above all else, his children and grandsons meant the world to him. He enjoyed seeing their achievements in life.

Allen will be dearly missed by his wife of 65 years, Shirley; daughters, Vicki Wurster, of Elizabeth and Debra Wurster, of Freeport, IL; grandsons, Dawson Wurster and Owen Wurster; sister, LaVonne (Eden) Clyde, of Stockton, IL; brother, Marvin (Linda) Wurster, of Elizabeth; and sisters-in-law, Jean Thornlund and Barb (George) Cromwell. Allen is preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Viola; son Dale Wurster; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Conrad and Louise Winter; and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.