Edgar E. Bantz, 92, of Muscatine, Iowa, formerly of Galesburg, died on Friday, December 19, 2025, at home.
Ed was born August 15, 1933, in Danville, Illinois, the son of Ford D. and Audrey (Canaday) Bantz. He married Helen M. Helander on November 3, 1962, in Chicago. She preceded him in death on November 27, 2018, after more than 56 years of marriage.
Surviving is a daughter, the Rev. Susan Bantz of Muscatine, Iowa; a son, Steven (Milisa) Bantz of Burlington, Iowa; a brother, Mervin (Julia) Bantz of Enid, Oklahoma; and three grandchildren: Thomas (Kailyn) Bantz of West Allis, Wisconsin; and Avery and Temperance Bantz, both of Burlington, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Ed was raised in Fithian and moved to Galesburg in 1966. He graduated from Oakwood Township High School in 1951 and enlisted in the Illinois National Guard. His unit was activated shortly thereafter and he was sent to the war in Korea. After discharge from the military in 1953, he attended Illinois Wesleyan University and later Mt. Sinai School of Nursing in Chicago, receiving his diploma as a registered nurse in 1962. In 1964 he became a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) at St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota.
He practiced anesthesia for two years at Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton, Illinois. He spent the next 25 years at Galesburg Cottage Hospital working in anesthesia and infection control. On the side he served as an assistant Knox County coroner. He ended his nursing career as a private in-home nurse, retiring in 1998.
Ed was a life member of the AMVETS Post 8 in Knoxville and a board member for the Knox County Area Project (KCAP) and Prairie Players Civic Theater. He was a board member and treasurer for the FISH food pantry and served on the board for the Central Illinois Infection Control Committee. He was a member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church, served on several church boards, and directed the choir as a volunteer for 33 years. He later became a member of First United Methodist Church.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, December 28, 2025, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral and Cremation Services. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday, December 29, 2025, at the chapel. Burial will follow the funeral in East Linwood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to FISH or Safe Harbor Family Crisis Center. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.h-p-w.com.
