Celebration of PPPVFD chief’s life rescheduled for May 16 in Pontiac

A celebration of the life of former Pontiac / Price Place Volunteer Fire Department chief Art Streigle will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at PPPVFD station #2 on W Highway 4 miles from High-way 5 south. The memorial service will be followed at 4:30 p.m. by a fundraiser dinner to help the Streigle family with final expenses. The menu will be include fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn and roll plus coffee, tea or lemonade. A donation of $8 is requested for adults, $4 for children age 5 to 12. Carry-out dinners will also be available.

The event is being held in Station #2, rather than Station #1 near the Pontiac post office, so that social distancing can be observed, organizers said. The building is identified with a sign that says “LC Barner Memorial Fire Station.” Face masks will be provided for those who wish to wear them.

Supporters who are unable to attend but want to participate in the fundraiser may make checks payable to Diane Streigle and mail them to PPPVFD, Attn: Diane Streigle, P.O. Box 1, Pontiac, MO 65729. 

For more information, call Khristie Jacquin, 618-444-4981, or Crystal Jones, 417-679-2859.

Streigle, 55, had volunteered as a firefighter with PPPVFD since April 2014 and stepped into the chief’s job in January 2018 after the retirement of long-time chief Al Davidson. He died March 14 at his home of stage 4 lung cancer. The fundraiser dinner and celebration of his life, originally set for March 28, was postponed due to the governor’s Stay Home, Missouri, order, which restricted group gatherings.