James Curtis
•4/27/2026

The family of former Marco Island City Councilor Erik Brechnitz has announced that a funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, according to the City of Marco Island.
The service is set to take place at 10 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church in Decatur, Illinois.
The city said memorial gifts can be directed to the Erik C. Brechnitz Business Experience Fund at Millikin University. You can also plant a tree in his memory or send flowers to the family.
Time will be set aside at 5:30 p.m. during the May 4 city council meeting to remember Brechnitz and his contributions to Marco Island. It will be held in the Community Room at 51 Bald Eagle Drive, the city said.
Brechnitz, 87, died on Tuesday. He was elected to the Marco Island City Council in November 2018 after he previously served on the city council in Decatur for 10 years and was the city's mayor for another four years before moving to Marco Island in 1995.
Brechnitz served on Marco Island's planning board when he moved before he was elected to the city council. The city said he was appointed by his co-councilors to serve as chairman four out of his nearly eight years on the dais. He also served as chairman of the Marco Island Community Parks Foundation since January 2021.
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