Rex L. Seitzinger, age 85, of Lawrenceville, Illinois passed away Saturday, June 28 2025 at the BridgePointe Health Campus in Vincennes, Indiana.
He was born at the family home near Birds, Illinois December 10, 1939 to George A. and Garnet Lindsay Seitzinger. He had one older sister, Louise. As a child, he attended the Free Methodist Church and later the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Birds. He was baptized at the age of 15 in the East Pinkstaff gravel pits by Rev. Ellis Thompson. He completed elementary school in Birds in 7 years, taking grades 5 and 6 in the same year. He graduated from Lawrenceville High School in 1956. He attended Vincennes University the 1956-1957 year and went to work for Marathon Oil Company in Bridgeport, Illinois on June 17, 1957 and worked there in the Accounting and Engineering departments until it was downsized on June 17, 1992. He worked for Pioneer Oil Company from 1993 until 1999. He was a mortgage broker and partner in the Lankford Company in Vincennes from 1999 to 2001, when the office closed. He went to work for Bestway Logistics, LLC January 2001 and retired there July 5, 2017 as payroll manager, a wonderful place to end his full-time working career of 60 years. During his working years, he also served on a 5 county Local Selective Service Board for 20 years, November 1981 to November 2001.
During his working years, he was blessed to be able to pursue a music ministry. He was a church pianist/organist, playing almost every Sunday since January 1, 1957. Along with that, he was blessed to be able to play piano for southern gospel groups for around 40 years. During those years, The Gospel Road Quartet recorded an LP at Queen City Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Gospel Four recorded a project at Crusade Studios in Flora and The Gospel Heirs recorded 3 projects at Crusade Studios. The Gospel Four sang in the amateur group division at the National Quartet Convention in Nashville, TN in the late 1970s. One of his greatest blessings was to be able to play for revivals in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. The Gospel Heirs were chosen as Group of the Year by the Indiana Gospel Music Association and also Group of the Year by the Illinois Gospel Quartet Association.
He was called into the ministry in March 1981 and served the Bee Branch Community Church for some 12 years. He was ordained by the local church and when retiring from the active pastoral ministry in 1992 moved his ordination to the Global Harvesters Missionary Organization. He then joined the North United Methodist Church in Vincennes, IN, and in January 1992 the North merged with the Wabash and the Trinity to become the Community United Methodist Church. Rex continued to work as visitation coordinator and worship accompanist. In 2023, the Community United Methodist Church changed its name to the Community Church of Vincennes. In December 2024, Rex retired from his position with the Community Church of Vincennes as visitation coordinator and worship accompanist.
Rex and Sue were engaged December 24, 1956 and married on Sunday, August 4, 1957 at the First Baptist Church in Clayton, MO at 8:30 AM before their morning service. They were married by Sue’s father, Rev. Ellis Thompson. Following the wedding, family members gathered for a breakfast in St. Louis and when they returned to the village of Birds and they returned to work on Monday morning. They had three children, Steven LaRue, Robert Kevin, and Susan LaRae. Steven married Debbie Terrell and Kevin married Judy Wright Allen.
Preceding in death were his parents; one daughter, Susan Seitzinger; one son, Kevin Seitzinger; one daughter in law, Debbie Seitzinger and one sister, Louise Sechrest.
Survivors include his wife Sue; one son, Steve; one daughter in law, Judy; four grandchildren, Nicky (Chris) Osmon, Laura (Zach) Uptmor, Robert Kevin II and Emily (Robert) Wells; five great-grandchildren, MeLissa (Bobby) Shick, Kourtney (Zach) Benson, Taylor Osmon & fiancé Taylor Perry, Corinna Wells and Leila Wells; five great-great-grandchildren, Hayden Shick, Myles Shick, Mason Shick, Maverick Benson, Marley Benson along with several nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be Wednesday July, 2, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. CST at the Community Church of Vincennes. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. until the service hour of 12:00 p.m. Burial will be in Lawrenceville City Cemetery. After Rex’s retirement, he enjoyed wearing Hawaiian shirts. Please feel free to wear your favorite Hawaiian shirt in memory of Rex.
The Community Church of Vincennes is located at:
1548 South Hart Street
Vincennes, IN
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the music department or prayer garden at the Community Church of Vincennes.
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