Donald Jacob Grobengieser of Altamont, Illinois, died peacefully of natural causes on June 22, 2026, at the Stonebridge Memory Care home in Effingham, Illinois.
Don was born on Dec 7, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois, and was adopted by his parents Arthur and Katharine (Wagemann) Grobengieser of Altamont. He was baptized and grew up attending St. Paul Lutheran Church in Altamont. A very intelligent child, he was always curious and inventive, a trait which continued throughout his life and influencing both his working career and various technical hobbies. Don also had a passion for music while growing up, playing the trumpet in grade school and high school bands.
Don graduated from Altamont High School, class of 1959, and earned a certification in Radio and TV from DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago in 1960. He married his high school sweetheart, Bernice Becker, in 1962, and they settled in their home in Altamont. Don began his working career at Humble Oil in the St. Elmo area. He and Bernice raised three children, Lori, Thomas, and Andrew.
Don was very active at St Paul’s Lutheran church throughout his life, serving as a Deacon and Trustee, and singing in the choir along with Bernice. He also did many volunteering activities outside of the church, including serving as a Volunteer Fireman in Altamont.
His working career shifted from oil field work to Radio and TV sales and service, as he joined his father’s business, Grobengieser Sons, a long-established hardware & implement store in the Altamont area. Don expanded the business to include appliance and TV/Radio sales and service, which also allowed him to pursue his true passion of electronics repair, as he had studied during his time at DeVry in Chicago.
From the mid-1970s through the 2000s, Don managed the Grobengieser Sons hardware (HWI) & appliance/TV business in Altamont, and opened a new location in Effingham in 1977. The new location was focused on Maytag appliances and Magnavox home electronics, and Grobengieser Sons was recognized as a top retailer in the state of Illinois for both brands. Over the years, Grobengieser Sons employed dozens of residents from the Altamont and Effingham areas, and became a highly respected business within those communities.
In his free time, Don enjoyed spending time with his family, and took them on many adventures including boating & water skiing, camping, snow skiing, and sightseeing. Some favorite destinations included Table Rock Lake in Missouri, Tampa area of Florida, and the mountains of Colorado. Additionally he and Bernice enjoyed travel to many US cities, National Parks, and several International destinations.
Don had a passion for his many diverse hobbies which he enjoyed throughout his life, including photography, model railroading, motorcycle riding, electronic kit building, and even jukebox and pinball machine repair. He took great pride in his impressive (and very precise!) house Christmas lights display each year, winning top prize in Altamont over multiple years.
Don is survived by his wife, Bernice, three children, Lori (Steve Sager) of Effingham, Tom (Nancy) of Kokomo, Indiana, and Andrew of Austin, Texas, and three grandchildren, Alexandra Sager, Christian Sager (Katelyn), and Anna Grobengieser. Don was preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Katharine Grobengieser.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 28, from 4pm to 7pm at the Kull Funeral Home, 114 W Washington Ave, Altamont, IL.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, June 29, at 11am at St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA), 2293 US-40, Altamont, IL. A visitation period will be held one hour prior to the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Lutheran Care Center of Altamont, or Donor’s Choice.
To send flowers or plant a tree in memory of Donald Jacob Grobengieser, visit the Tribute Store.
Previous Events
Visitation
28
Jun
114 West Washington Ave.
Altamont, IL 62411
Service
29
Jun
2293 US-40
Altamont, IL 62411
Visitation one hour prior to service.
