Wendt Funeral Home

Wendt Funeral Home, located at 1811 15th Street Place in Moline, Illinois, stands as a cornerstone of compassionate care in the Illinois-Iowa Quad Cities region. As the longest-serving, family-owned funeral home in the area and the fifth oldest in the United States, it has been guiding families through times of loss with dignity and respect for over 150 years. The business traces its roots to 1866, when J. Robert Earler, a German immigrant and cabinetmaker, began crafting wooden caskets for local farmers. The funeral parlor opened in Port Byron, Illinois, shortly after the Civil War. The legacy continued through generations: August H. Wendt took over from 1881 to 1920, followed by his sons Earl and Robert. In 1929, they purchased the current location—a historic Queen Anne Victorian house built in Moline in 1902. Earl Wendt II and his brother Richard led the business until 1967; then Earl “Buck” Wendt III operated it until his passing. Today, the sixth generation, Earl L. Wendt IV, owns and operates the funeral home, ensuring that the family's commitment to personalized, high-quality service endures.