Sylvester Dickneite, 86, of Millstadt, died April 24, 2009 at his home. He was born March 16, 1923 the son of the late Vernard and Elnora (nee Engel) Dickneite. Survivors include his wife, Frances (nee Wild) Dickneite, whom he married in 1963; children Robert (Wilma "Ruby") Walker, Charles (Cindy) Walker, Donna (Bernell) Vollmer, Nancy (John) Kish, Albert and Sue Patrick; sisters Emma (Armin) Diemert, Leona Burkhardt, Bernadine Hieder, Marie Yount, Catherine (Carnel) Gilbert, Eileen (Donald) Goldschmidt, Dorothy (Raymond) Shoemaker and Elsie Branson; and a brother, George (Polly) Dickneite; along with nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends. Mr. Dickneite was preceded in death by a sister, Rosemary Hergenroider; brothers, Ben Dickneite, Raymond Dickneite and David Dickneite (in infancy); and three grandchildren. He was a member of St. James Catholic Church in Millstadt and was employed with E.M. Wiegmann for 29 years. Visitation was at the Creason Funeral Home in Millstadt. Funeral was at St. James Catholic Church with Father Mark Volk officiating. Mr. Dickneite was buried at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Fairview Heights. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Erdline Lippert, nee Vogt, 97, of Millstadt died April 25, 2009 at Columbia Convalescent Center. She was born Aug. 16, 1911 in Columbia, the daughter of the late Antone and Anna (nee Frierdich) Vogt. Mrs. Lippert is survived by a daughter, Sheila (John) Campe; grandchildren Gina (William) Clossen and Jeff (Misty) Campe; great-grandchildren Nicole, Caitlyn and Will Clossen; and nieces Bonnie Mueller and Doreen Baltz; along with other relatives and friends. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Forrest "Buzz" Lippert; sisters Ruth Pistor, Esther Briesacher, Adele Schuff and Marcella Hatter; and a brother in infancy, Lester Vogt. Mrs. Lippert was a homemaker and a member of St. James Catholic Church, the Perpetual Help Sodality and the Millstadt Senior Center. Visitation was at the Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home. Funeral was at St. James Catholic Church with Father Marvin Volk officiating. Mrs. Lippert was buried at Mt. Evergreen Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Heartland Hospice or to masses.
Nava "Annie" Goessling-Geppert, nee Hadley, 64, of Millstadt, died Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville. She was born June 8, 1944 in Granite City, the daughter of the late Murphy and Ann Hadley. She is survived by numerous relatives and many friends. including nieces, nephews and cousins. She worked at Four Fountains Convalescent Center for 22 years. Visitation was at Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt. The body was cremated. Memorials may be made to Unity Hospice.
Ralph Simmonds Jr., 70, of Citrus Springs, Fla., formerly of Millstadt, died May 3, 2009 at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville. He was born Aug. 17, 1938 in Belleville, the son of the late Ralph Sr. and Floy Simmonds, nee Kennedy. Mr. Simmonds is survived by a son, Thomas Simmonds; a daughter, Ginette (Thomas) Kern; step-children Cheryl Bremer, Cassy Reece, Chad Wagner and Shane Wagner; a brother, Kenneth (Pat) Simmonds; sisters Nancy Simmonds, Barbara (Bill) Heil, Carol (Frank) Albers and Patty Dillon; and special friend, Simone Moreno; along with grandchildren, step-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends. He was preceded in death by his wife , Pauline Simmonds, nee Wagner; a sister, Rosemary Maserang; and a brother in infancy. Mr. Simmonds was a veteran if the United States Army. He owned his own carpentry business and was retired from Carpenters Local 433. In the early 1970s, he was a mechanic for cars racing at the Indianapolis 500. He remained an avid car racing fan. Visitation was at the Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home where a funeral was held. Memorials may be made to Victory Junction Gang Camp or the American Heart Association.
Tommy Hayes, 69, of Kell, died May 2, 2009, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He was born Jan. 24, 1940 in Salem, the son of the late Harold and Belva (Dalton) Hayes. He married Beverly Jones in 1996. In addition to his wife, Mr. Hayes is survived by sons Thomas (Colleen) Hayes, David Hayes and Gregory Hayes; a daughter, Carla Rick, all of Waterloo; step-daughters Christine (Greg) Mercer of Centralia and Kelly Richard of Salem; grandchildren Susan Rick, Todd Rick, Jackie Hayes, Rachael Hayes, Alyssa Hayes, Curtis Garrett, Erin Belen, Jordan Garrett, Tyler Mercer and Kristen Mercer; a great-grandchild, Taylor Rose Belen; and a niece, Jessica Krauss. He was preceded in death by a sister, Nancy Jane Krauss. Mr. Hayes was born and raised in Kell, but spent his working life as a welder at Ameren/UE in St. Louis. He moved back home to Kell after his retirement. He was a member of Prairie Presbyterian Church, collected antique tractors and was an avid hunter. He enjoyed caring for bird dogs and his cats. Visitation esd Thursday, May 7 with a funeral service at Prairie Presbyterian Church in Kell with Rev. Robert Freytag and Pastor Jerry Field officiating. Mr. Hayes was buried at Zion Grove Cemetery in Kell. Memorials may be made to the Zion Grove Cemetery Fund, the Romine Prairie Presbyterian Church or the National Leukemia Fund.
Gavin Christopher Coleman, 9, of Columbia, died May 5, 2009, at his residence. He was born Jan. 25, 2000, in Chester, the son of Christopher Coleman and the late Sheri Coleman. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his brother, Garret. Besides his father, Gavin is survived by his grandparents, Pastor Ronald and Connie Coleman of Chester, Donald Weiss of Clearwater, Fla., and Angela DeCiceo of La Grange Park; uncles Bradley (Jennifer) Coleman of Chester, Keith (Emily) Coleman of Rogers, Ark., and Mario Weis of La Grange Park; and cousins Drew, Aubrey and Addison Coleman; along with great-grandparents, great-uncles and great-aunts. Gavin was a third grader at Parkview Elementary in Columbia. He was a member of Destiny Church in St. Louis, Mo., the church's youth group, loved sports and played football for the Columbia Bluejays. Visitation was at Grace Church Ministries in Chester. A private family service was held at the church with Pastor Mike Shepard and Pastor Phil Stern officiating. A second service was Monday at Hursen Funeral Home in Hillside-Westcheser. Gavin was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Chester. Memorials may be made to Grace Church Ministries.
Garett Dominic Eugene Coleman, 11, of Columbia, died May 5, 2009, at his residence. He was born April 30, 1998 at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., the son of Christopher Coleman and the late Sheri Coleman. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his brother, Gavin. Besides his father, Garett is survived by his grandparents, Pastor Ronald and Connie Coleman of Chester, Donald Weiss of Clearwater, Fla., and Angela DeCiceo of La Grange Park; uncles Bradley (Jennifer) Coleman of Chester, Keith (Emily) Coleman of Rogers, Ark., and Mario Weis of La Grange Park; and cousins Drew, Aubrey and Addison Coleman; along with great-grandparents, great-uncles and great-aunts. Garett was a fourth grader at Parkview Elementary in Columbia. He was a member of Destiny Church in St. Louis, Mo., the church's youth group, loved sports and played football for the Columbia Bluejays. Visitation was at Grace Church Ministries in Chester. A private family service was Saturday at the church with Pastor Mike Shepard and Pastor Phil Stern officiating. A second funeral was Monday at Hursen Funeral Home in Hillside-Westchester. Garett was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Chester. Memorials may be made to Grace Church Ministries.
Sheri A. Coleman, 31, of Columbia, died May 5, 2009, at her residence. She was born July 3, 1977, in Berwyn, the daughter of Donald Weiss and Angela DeCiceo. She married Christopher Coleman in 1997 in Chicago. Mrs. Coleman was preceded in death by her sons, Garret and Gavin Coleman. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her parents, Donald Weiss of Clearwater, Fla., and Angela DeCiceo of La Grange Park; a brother, Mario Weiss of La Grange Park; in-laws, Pastor Ronald and Connie Coleman of Chester; brothers-in-law Bradley (Jennifer) Coleman of Chester and Keith (Emily) Coleman of Rogers, Ark.; nephew, Drew Coleman; and nieces Aubrey and Addison Coleman; along with grandparents, uncles and aunts. Mrs. Coleman was a veteran of the United States Air Force. Visitation was at Grace Church Ministries in Chester. A private family service was held at the church with Pastor Mike Shepard and Pastor Phil Stern officiating. A second funeral was Monday at Hursen Funerla Home in Hillside-Westchester. Mrs. Coleman was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Chester. Memorials may be made to Grace Church Ministries.
James Kohlenberger, 63, of Columbia, died May 6, 2009, at John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo. He was born Aug. 27, 1945, in East St. Louis, the son of the late Frank and Louise "Lulu" (Hasty) Kohlenberger. He married Patricia (Davis) Kohlenberger in 1968 in Cahokia. In addition to his wife, Mr. Kohlenberger is survived by a daughter, Shannon (John Taylor) Kohlenberger of Columbia; a son, Shaun (Becca) Kohlenberger of Waterloo; grandchildren Raven, Mason and Brynna Kohlenberger; a sister, Dorothy (LeRoy) Goss of Valmeyer; and sisters-in-law Phyllis Kohlenberger of East Carondelet and Ann Kohlenberger of St. Louis, Mo. He was preceded in death by brothers William and George Kohlenberger. Mr. Kohlenberger earned the Purple Heart while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He worked as a pipefitter and at U.S. Steel in Granite City. He enjoyed coaching with the Columbia Khoury League and Bluejays Football. Visitation was at Lawlor Funeral Home. Funeral service was at First Baptist Church in Columbia. Mr. Kohlenberger was buried at Valhalla Gardens Of Memory in Belleville.
Arthur R. Woodcock, 62, of Niceville, Fla., formerly of Columbia, died April 25, 2009, at his home following a seven-year battle with cancer. He was born July 20, 1946, in Belleville, the son of the late Arthur F. and Violet (Probstmeyer) Woodcock of Columbia. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Susan (McConkey) Woodcock; daughters Angela (Timothy) Miller and Patricia (Bradley) Brobeck, both of Niceville; grandchildren Trenton and Hayden Miller and Christian, Grayson and Victoria Brobeck; brothers William (Kathy) Woodcock of Saginaw, Mich., and Terry (Sharon) Woodcock of Columbia; and nephews Christopher, Stephen, Timothy, Jason, Arthur, Glenn, and Samuel Woodcock; along with other relatives and friends. Mr. Woodcock graduated from Columbia High School in 1964. He worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad and then served 20 years in the Air Force. After his retirement, he enjoyed bagging groceries at the Eglin Air Force Base commissary, where he greeted many of his friends. He loved spending time with his family, deer hunting, and traveling in his motor home. A memorial service held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Niceville, Fla. Memorials may be made to his church or a cancer research organization of your choice.
