Frederick Thomas Minner, age 97, of Port St. Lucie, FL passed away peacefully, leaving behind a life marked by devotion to family, hard work, and faith.

Fred was born on October 23, 1928, in Ottawa, Illinois, to Fred and Edith (Sparrow) Minner. In 1932, his family moved to Delavan, Illinois, a place that would remain his lifelong home for many decades. He graduated from Delavan High School in 1947 and went on to build a strong and steady career spanning many years.

Fred was employed by several respected companies, including Material Services Corporation (Lake Michigan), Fairbanks Morse, AT&T (Western Electric), and Caterpillar in East Peoria, Illinois. He retired in 1986 from the Planning Department at Caterpillar, concluding a career defined by dedication and integrity.

On February 10, 1961, Fred married the love of his life, Wilma Runyon Gresham Minner, and together they shared a marriage filled with love, commitment, and partnership. Fred was a lifelong resident of Delavan until 1994, when he and Wilma began spending winters in Florida as snowbirds. They made Florida their permanent home in September of 2010.

Fred was a faithful member of Beacon Baptist Church in Jupiter, Florida, where he found community and spiritual fellowship.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Wilma Minner; his children Debra (David) Perez of Imperial Beach, California, Doug (Cheryl) Minner of Fort Pierce, Florida, Kenneth (Priscilla) Gresham of Licking, Missouri, and Gary Minner of Delavan, Illinois; 10 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren, all of whom were a source of great pride and joy in his life.

Fred was preceded in death by his brother, Al Minner.

Fred will be remembered as a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and a man whose life reflected quiet strength, loyalty, and faith. His legacy lives on through the many lives he touched and the family he cherished so deeply.

A graveside service will be at 1:00 pm Monday, February 2, 2026 at Prairie Rest Cemetery in Delavan. There will be no visitation.  Davis-Oswald Funeral Home in Delavan is handling the arrangements.