John Louis Acree

John Louis Acree, 51, of Mt. Carmel, Illinois, passed away Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at Deaconess Midtown Hospital, Evansville, Indiana, with his loving wife and father at his side.

He was born February 26, 1969, at Wabash General Hospital in Mt. Carmel, Illinois, the youngest son of Charles and Louise (Rutter) Acree. 

John graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1987.  He started center #61 for the Golden Aces Football team that went to semi-state finals in 1986.  John won the Football Broadcast Award in 1986.  John’s competitive nature began at an early age in Cub Scouts by winning the Pinewood Derby award.  In 1989, John graduated from Wabash Valley College, receiving the Lowenstein Scholarship.  He continued to the University of Illinois, graduating there in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Degree.  He was a member of the Honor Roll, Phi Theta Kappa and National Honor Society.  As a senior at the University of Illinois, John won the Best Design Project for Engineering that was for the Colonial Pipeline Company, and the Plaque is displayed in the University of Illinois Engineering Hall.   

He met the love of his life, Kimberly J. Bosecker and was married October 2, 1993, at Evangelical United Methodist Church in Mt. Carmel, Illinois.  They spent their life in Mt. Carmel, Illinois with their three boys, Evan Charles, Eric Phillip and Elliott David.   Kim kept every card John gave her and said he enjoyed bringing her flowers “just because.”

After graduation, he began his career in February 1992 with Lamac Engineering.  He worked for the company for the next 23 years.  In 1997, he became a licensed Professional Engineer for Illinois and Indiana.  John was instrumental in growing the company three-fold.  He did water and wastewater projects in Paris, Carmi, Mt. Carmel, St. Francisville and Lawrenceville, Illinois and various other engineering projects in Illinois and Indiana.  John became regarded as one of the most highly respected engineers in the State of Illinois.    John considered his employees at Lamac as family.  After selling his company in 2015, John started Wabash Consulting, LLC.  The company specialized in water and wastewater design.  One of the most important projects he had was building a water substation in Florence, South Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 1998.  John and Kim developed Deeridge Crossing Subdivision where they live today. 

During John’s life he enjoyed deer hunting, boating, fishing and traveling.  Many special family times were spent on cruises, boating at Kentucky Lake and boating many Sunday afternoons on the Wabash River.  The family traveled to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Mexico, Bahamas and many Southern Caribbean islands.

John took much pride in being a part of his boys’ academic and athletic endeavors.  He loved sponsoring teams and volunteering with Boys Youth in Action, Mt. Carmel Little League and Jr. League Football.  Spending time with his boys practicing sports was something he dearly treasured. 

He was a member of the Elks, Wabash County Chamber of Commerce, University of Illinois Alumni Association and American Association of Engineering Societies.  John attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church with his family.  The last couple years, John and his father volunteered for the Lunch Wagon.  His main purpose in life was to help family, friends and his working family. 

Left to cherish John’s memory is his wife of 26 years, Kim; children Evan Charles, Eric Phillip and Elliott David Acree; parents, Charles and Louise (Rutter) Acree; siblings, David (Susan) Acree and Brenda (Terry) Phegley; sister-in-law, Kerry (David) Hall; mother-in-law Carolyn Bridges; father-in-law John (Linda) Bosecker; nieces and nephews, Aaron and Adam Acree, Julie Donberger and Amy Weart, Lauren and Kourtney Hall; and many great nieces and nephews.

John was preceded in death by his daughter, Emily Lorene; grandparents, Louis and Helen Acree, and Cyril and Christina Rutter.

There will be a private graveside service at Highland Memorial Cemetery.          

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that the memorial check be made to Short Funeral Home for the Boy’s College Education Fund by mailing them to Short Funeral Home, P.O. Box 397, Mt. Carmel, Illinois 62863 or online at www.short-cunninghamfh.com         

Condolences may be made online at www.short-cunninghamfh.com

Short-Cunningham Funeral Home is honored to serve the Acree family.

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