Adolph Edwin Fluck was born in Marion on March 11, 1908, the son of Louis Fluck and Ella Weber. Adolph’s mother, Ella Weber, was the daughter of Adolph Weber, son of a German immigrant schoolteacher. Adolph migrated from St. Clair County to a farm east of Marion in 1884. He was involved with other German farmers in the area who started a church where they could worship in their own tongue and helped create what is now the Zion United Church of Christ in Marion on W. Cherry Street. Weber became well known for his sausage making and butchering skills and in 1901 moved his family into town and opened a meat market on Main Street. In 1903, he opened a meat market in the 200 block of N. Market with all five of his sons working in the store. In 1912, Adolph’s father, Louis, formed a partnership with Adolph Weber at 300 N. Market. This partnership lasted until Weber retired in 1921.
In 1922, Louis Fluck built a new market across North Market Street where he and his sons, Adolph, Alfred and Delmar operated Fluck’s Market for 50 years, offering a complete line of groceries, delivering and offering credit accounts.
A 1907 Marion street directory located the Louis Fluck family living at 1000 S. Buchanan Street in Marion with Louis working as a coal miner. When the 1910 census was taken, the family had moved to N. Harper Street in a home they owned with a mortgage. Louis 30 and Ella 27 had two sons in the home, Adolph 3 and Alfred 3 months of age. Ella indicated that she had birthed two children and both were living.
In the 1920 census, the family had switched homes and then lived at 109 W. Boulevard in a home they owned free of mortgage. Louis 40 and Ella 36 had three sons in the home, Adolph 11, Alfred 9 and Delmar aged 7. Louis was working at the market he shared with his father-in-law working as a butcher at 300 N. Market St.
Adolph graduated from Marion Township High School in 1926.
When the 1930 census was taken, Louis 50 and Ella 47 were still in their home at 109 W. Boulevard which they valued at $3,000. Louis was listed as a grocery merchant and the couple had three sons in the home, Adolph 20, Alfred 19, and Delmar 18. Adolph was working as a meat cutter at the family business while brother, Alfred was a salesman. The family noted that they had a radio in the home.
An article appeared in the Marion Weekly Leader in 1930 stating that a glider airplane piloted by Adolph Fluck was attempted to be launched at the Marion airport. The glider was towed by a car down the runway and reached a height of about 30 feet before crashing to the ground. Fluck was unhurt and it was noted that this was likely the last attempted launch of a glider at the airport.
On March 7, 1931, Adolph married Louise Marie Stahlhut. Louise was born September 29, 1912, the daughter of William G. Stahlhut and Minnie Boester. In 1933, while living at 611 Meridian in Marion, the couple gave birth to their first child, a daughter, named Jeanette Louise Fluck on June 8, 1933.
Adolph was already working the family business by this time since an article appearing in the local paper noted which businesses were complying with President Roosevelt’s pledge to comply with wage and working hours. The L. and Adolph Fluck Grocery & Meat Market located at 402 N. Market Street was listed in compliance.
Articles in 1934 newspapers stated that Adolph had been elected 1st Vice President of the Zion Evangelical Church and that he had purchased the J.A. Grisham General Store in Goreville. The latter article also noted that Adolph planned on moving his family to Goreville to live shortly.
From 1935 to 1940, Adolph served as a member of the Goreville High School Board and was on the Goreville City council as a Trustee from 1936-1940.
In the 1940 census, 32 year old Adolph and 27 year old Louise were living in a home in Goreville in a home they owned and valued at $1,000. Adolph’s occupation was listed as grocery merchant and it was noted that they had worked 52 weeks in 1939 and were currently working 60 hours a week. It was also noted that both Adolph and Louise had completed 4 years of high school.
Later in 1940, when Adolph filled out his WWII draft record, the couple had moved back to Marion and were living at 601 E. Meridian. Adolph was 32 and self-employed at a grocery store he had set up at 905 S. Buchanan Street. He was physically described as 6’ 1”, 148 lbs., grey eyes, black hairs and a light brown complexion. Adolph’s name was listed in the Marion Weekly Leader in 1944 on the potential draft list, however due to his marriage and children he never served in the military.
A 1947 Marion directory indicated that Adolph and his family were living at and operating a grocery called South Side Market at 908 S. Buchanan Street. This address and business was also confirmed in the 1950 census. Adolph 42 and Louise 37, had two children, Jeannette L. 18 and Richard aged 15 running a retail grocery store. It was noted that he was putting in 80 hour weeks.
Adolph ran for city commissioner in 1951 and won. He served under Mayor William Shannon as Commissioner of Public Property and the Water Department until 1955. In this administration, the city was fighting the continual problem with water shortages. The decision was made to run a pipeline to Crab Orchard Lake as a supplemental source in times of shortage or problems. The line was in place and pumping water by November of 1952. (As a side note, it was unknown at this time that the water was later found to be contaminated with PCB’s, a leftover discharge from the Sangamo Electric plant that operated there.
In 1954, Adolph attempted to run on the Republican ticket for Williamson County Treasurer and won the primary but lost the general election to Wayman Welborn.
At the end of his term as city commissioner in 1955, Adolph attempted to run for Mayor of Marion but lost to Robert Cooksey. In December that same year the Williamson County Commissioners appointed Adolph as temporary Williamson County Coroner to fill out the term of Sam Simmons after he passed away while in office. Adolph was officially elected to the Coroner’s office in the elections of April 1956 in which he served until 1960. In 1957, Adolph was elected to serve as Secretary-Treasurer of the Egyptian Coroners Association.
In 1961, Adolph sought the GOP nomination for Sheriff, he won a primary election against Lawrence Cannon but lost the general election to Carl Miller.
In 1962, Adolph’s son, Richard Fluck married Mary Ellen Shanks on June 2, 1962. The family was still living at 908 S. Buchanan Street at the time.
In October of 1962, Fluck had leased the operation of his South Side Market on S. Buchanan Street to Mr. & Mrs. Lester Grimes. In March of 1963 they resumed operation of the market which they had operated for 22 years.
In 1963, Adolph once again ran for the office of City Commissioner and won. At the time he was working as a car salesman for Leon Webb Motor Sales. Adolph served under Mayor Robert Butler’s first administration, a position Butler would hold for over 50 years. This was an interesting council, since it’s first meeting held in City Hall was marred by the Goss Appliance/Cox Hardware fire that leveled a block of the southern square in May 1963. Adolph served in this administration until the next election in 1967 and won another round as City Commissioner under Mayor Robert Butler under which he would serve until 1971.
In 1970, Adolph’s daughter, Jeanette, married Jim Klope on May 22, 1970 at Walnut Hill Baptist Church, Marion.
After Adolph’s term as commissioner expired in 1971, an article appeared in the Southern Illinoisan newspaper in May declaring that Adolph announced he was retiring from governmental service. Well, good intentions and all, but Adolph wasn’t done quite yet.
An article in the Southern Illinoisan, also in May 1971, indicated that Adolph had been re-appointed to the Williamson County Welfare Advisory Board by the Williamson County Commissioners. This board was related to general assistance for those in need of urgent medical care and/or temporarily unemployed often referred to as “relief.”
In August of 1972, the executive director of the Williamson County Housing Authority, Julius Stienmarch, was relieved of duty and the commissioners appointed Adolph to take his position in November. Under this authority, the Marion High Rise Apartments on West Main Street was built. Construction started in 1973 and was completed in 1974. Fluck quit his position as housing director effective September 1, 1974 citing health issues as the reason. At the time his address was listed as 615 E. Thorn St.
In 1975, Fluck was appointed as a member of the Marion Zoning Board by the city council under a 4 year term. In 1977, Adolph was appointed as Housing commissioner for a 2 year term. Under this administration Marion began establishing more low rent housing in town.
In 1978, Adolph was elected as President of the Marion Senior Citizens club and the same year he was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the Marion Housing Authority. Later in the year ye was put on the primary ballot as Republican precinct chairman for East Marion which he later won.
On November 2, 1979, his wife, Louise Marie Fluck, passed away at age 67, while the couple was living at 615 E. Thorn St. She had worked alongside her husband at South Side market in Marion for 23 years and then worked at Cox Hardware in Marion for 12 years before retiring in 1976. She was a member of the Zion United Church of Christ, program director for the Marion Senior Citizens and past president of the Republican Woman’s Club of Marion. She was survived by her husband, a daughter Jeanette Klope, Creal Springs; a son, Richard Fluck of Marion; two grandsons; and a step-granddaughter and one step-great granddaughter. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery.
In August of 1980, Adolph was re-appointed to a 5 year term on the Marion Housing Authority and in January 1983, he was elected chairman of the housing authority.
In 1981, Adolph re-married a second time to Elsie Lambert. Elsie was born May 3, 1910 in Girard to Fredrick Stratman and Minnie Klein. She was a clerk and seamstress at Albright’s Clothing store on the square in Marion.
In 1984, Adolph was elected to the board of the American Association of Retired Persons.
In January 1989, Adolph’s 2nd wife, Elsie, passed away. She had previously been married to Richard Lambert and was survived by son Gordon Lambert of Marion and one daughter Barbara Boyt of Marion.
On August 5, 1989, Adolph married a 3rd time to Pauline Troutman Wood. Pauline was born September 3, 1915 in Carterville to Joseph and Mary Troutman.
In November 1989, Adolph withdrew from the Housing authority for health reasons and was replaced by attorney James Sanders.
In the 1993-1997 street directory, Adolph’s home address was given as 908 N. Market Street.
Adolph Fluck passed away at Parkway Manor in Marion on September 30, 2001. Mr. Fluck owned and operated a grocery and meat market for 36 years. He owned and operated a 160 acre cattle and hay farm for 18 years. He worked as a real estate salesman for 3 years and sold furniture for two. He was a member of the Marion Lions Club, the Zion United Church of Christ, the Masonic Lodge 89 of Marion and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
He was survived by his wife Pauline, daughter and son in law Jeanette and James Klope of Creal Springs, and son and daughter in law, Richard and Pamela Fluck of Rochelle, burial was in Maplewood Cemetery.
His wife Pauline, passed away in Heartland Regional Medical Center on December 4, 2009. She had married Imro Wood in October of 1950 in Marion. She had worked as a secretary at the Williamson County Courthouse. She was survived by her son Harold Wood and his wife Maria and grandson Erick Wood. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery.
(Sources: Federal census records, WWII draft records, Marion street directories, Marion City Cemetery records, The Marion Weekly Leader and Southern Illinoisan newspapers, Glances at Life by Homer Butler, the 1989 Sesquicentennial book. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 7/26/2024)