Gilbert Kent Karcher, 67, of Washington, IL (formerly of Dahlgren) passed away on April 4, 2026, at home, surrounded by his wife, daughters, and son-in-law, after a courageous battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
He was born on November 25, 1958, in McLeansboro, Illinois, to Gilbert and Pauline (Dolan) Karcher. Kent graduated as salutatorian from McLeansboro High School in 1976. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1980. He was a proud Illini fan and an inaugural member of the Orange Krush.
On September 25, 1982, he married Debra Lynn Anselment at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Piopolis, Illinois. They made their home in Washington, Illinois, where they raised two daughters, Kacy and Jill. This past September marked 43 years of marriage—a testament to their devotion to one another.
Kent began his professional career at International Harvester in Downers Grove, Illinois. He spent the majority of his career at Caterpillar, where his most notable professional accomplishment was the development of a 65,000-line SAS program that is still in use today. He retired in 2015 after 35 years of service.
In retirement, Kent and Debbie built a second home near Belle Prairie City in Dahlgren, Illinois, where he loved spending time, especially with his “socializing group”. Anyone who knew Kent knew he never missed a chance to talk.
A lifelong Catholic, he was a devoted member of St. Patrick Church in Washington and St. John the Baptist in Piopolis. He proudly supported the Cardinals and the Illini, collected sports memorabilia and Coca-Cola antiques, and—despite living with Type 1 diabetes—never turned down dessert. Kent excelled at sports throughout his life. While at Caterpillar, he played on the softball and golf teams and even recorded a hole-in-one—an accomplishment few can claim.
Kent is survived by his wife, Debra; daughters Kacy (Rich) Furjanic and Jill Karcher; siblings Kevin (Beth) Karcher, Karen (Jeff) Kinker, and Karla (Doug) Kovarik; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gilbert and Pauline; his father-in-law, Sonny; and his brother-in-law, Richard.
Memorials may be made to St. John the Baptist Cemetery Fund, Mary, Mother of God Parish in Washington, or the American Diabetes Association.
Visitation for Kent Karcher will be held Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 4:00–7:00 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Piopolis, Illinois. Funeral services will be held Monday, April 13, 2026, at the church. A rosary will be prayed at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass. Church doors will open at 9:00 a.m.
Harre Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
