Eileen Blankenship, nee Crocker, 87, of Hecker, died Nov. 13, 2014, in Red Bud. She was born Aug. 5, 1927, in Enough, Mo., the daughter of the late Jesse Arnold and Pearl Josephine (nee Kitchlell) Crocker. Mrs. Blankenship is survived by his children, Roger (Betty) Blankenship, David Blankenship, Marilyn (Dennis) Wagner, Aaron (Samantha) Blankenship and Darrell (Heidi) Blankenship; and six grandchildren; along with great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elden Blankenship; a son, Kenneth Blankenship; grandson, Ryan Blankenship; and siblings, Helen Gault and Clinton Crocker. Mrs. Blankenship attended First Baptist Church of Waterloo. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at First Baptist Church in Waterloo with Pastor Steve Neill officiating. Mr. Blankenship was buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery.
Laverne B. Suedkamp, 84, of Columbia, died Nov. 13, 2014, at Anderson Hospital in Maryville. She was born Dec. 30, 1929, in St. Louis the daughter of the late Charles and Elvera (nee Young) Trampier. Laverne married Harold J. Suedkamp in 1958 in St. Louis. He died in 2013. Mrs. Suedkamp is survived by her son, Mike (Nancy) Suedkamp of Columbia; a grandson, Owen M. Suedkamp; sisters, Jeannette (James) Holland of St. Peters, Mo., Gloria Becker of San Antonio, Tex. and Susan (Ronnie) Breakfield of St. Louis; and a brother, Bobby Trampier of St. Louis. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Sonny Trampier and Elvera Trampier. Mrs. Suedkamp attended of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Laverne was a retired telephone operator from AT&T (formerly Southwestern Bell). Private family services were held. Mrs. Suedkamp was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Lawlor Funeral Home handled the arrangements. Memorials may be made to Vitas Hospice or the Eugene Schorb - Immaculate Conception School Education Fund.
Gerold L. Ashbaker, 66, of Prairie du Rocher, died Oct. 4, 2014, in St. Louis. He was born March 20, 1948 in Pittsfield, the son of the late Emil and Mildred (nee Colbert) Ashbaker. Mr. Ashbaker is survived by his wife, Janet (nee Diemert) Ashbaker; daughters Michelle Ashbaker and Tanya Huskey; grandchildren. Dackota "D.J." Huskey, Judith Ashbaker and Keith Hern; and friends, Richard and Kathleen Barkley; along with a sister, brother, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Sara Ashbaker-Hern; sisters and brothers. Mr. Ashbaker served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was retired from Menard Correctional Center. Funeral arrangements were handled by Quernheim Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Prairie du Rocher Boy Scouts.
Dorothy A. Smith, nee Noelken, 97, of Waterloo, died Oct. 2, 2014, in Red Bud. She was born May 18, 1917 in Maeystown, the daughter of the late Henry and Emma (nee Roekenschuh) Noelken. Mrs. Smith is survived by her sister-in-law, Sally Smith of Waterloo; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gilbert Smith; brothers, Charlie, Ronald and Ben Noelken; and sisters, Tina Mosbacher and Orlou H. Noelken. Visitation and funeral were at Quernheim Funeral Home with Pastor Ivan Horn officiating. Mrs. Smith was buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery.
David Paul Ahrens, 72, of Ridgway, formerly of Valmeyer, died Oct. 12, 2014. He was born Feb. 3, 1942 in Valmeyer, the son of Lucretia (nee Unterseh) Ahrens Kipping of Columbia and the late Eugene H. Ahrens. David married Rose Anna Wuertz in 1966. She died in 2009. Besides his mother, Mr. Ahrens is survived by his children, Sara (Bill) Arbaugh of Evansville, Ind., Michael (Kathy) Ahrens of Ridgway, Paul (Jordan) Ahrens of Ridgway and Scott Ahrens of Bloomington; a sister, Marlene Middleton of Waterloo; a brother, Ronald D. Ahrens of O’Fallon; grandchildren, Austin, Sidney, Valerie, Jaco and Ava. Besides his wife and father, he was preceded in death by sisters, Patricia A. Haberl and Helen Mae Lueking; and a brother, Eugene H. Ahrens Jr. Mr. Ahrens served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War (1960 to 1964). He retired from the Illinois State Police after 32 years of service. At the ISP, he was assigned to District 5 Joliet, District 11 Collinsville, District 11-A Litchfield, and District 19 Carmi. Mr. Ahrens retired with rank of lieutenant and was the District 19 Commander. Mr. Ahrens was a member of the St. Kateri Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus - L.A. Lambert Council 1581 and the Ridgway American Legion Post 596. Visitation and funeral were at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Shawneetown with Father Steven Beatty officiating. Mr. Ahrens was buried at the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery near Ridgway. Vickery Funeral Chapel of Ridgway handled arrangements. Memorials may be made to VNA Hospice or to the St. Kateri Building Fund.
Deborah Ann Cox, nee Reimert, of New Hanover, died Oct. 15, 2014 at SSM St. Clare Hospital, Fenton, Mo., after a battle with cancer. She was born Nov. 1, 1955 in Allentown, Pa. Mrs. Cox is survived by her husband, Jeremy Cox; and her dog, Iris. Mrs. Cox owned Magnolia gift shop in downtown Columbia. According to her wishes, her body was cremated. Funeral was at Zoar UCC in New Hanover. Memorials may be made to Helping Strays of Monroe County.
Ronald E. Parres, 72, of Columbia, died Oct. 16, 2014 in an automobile accident. He was born Feb. 7, 1942. In St. Louis, the son of the late Lenny and Mildred (nee Morris) Parres. Mr. Parres is survived by his wife, Kathy (nee Winter) Parres; his children, Cindy Downing, Tracy Parres, Ronald E. Parres, Jr. and Tammy Simons; mother-in-law, Jane Winter; grandchildren,. Payton and A.J. Downing, Gavin Parres, Kristy and Joey Parres, and Rachel Simons; and brothers, Michael Parres and Leslie Parres; along with nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister, Karen Schuster; sister-in-law, Cheryl Poehler; and his father-in-law, Allan Winter. Mr. Parres was a pipefitter for Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 101 in Belleville. Visitation was at Strauss - Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Mark O. Reinhold, 61, of Waterloo, died Oct. 17, 2014, in St. Louis from a heart condition. He was born March 10, 1953 in Red Bud, the son of the late Glennon and Audrey (nee Schmidt) Reinhold. Mr. Pape is survived by his wife, Mary Kay (nee Pape) Reinhold; children, Laura Frierdich (Brad Kretzer), Katie (Erick) Hernandez, Bethany Reinhold, Adam Reinhold (Caitlin Hines) and Alex Reinhold; grandchildren, Ty and Grady Frierdich; siblings, Jill (Craig) Whelan and Ken (Shirley) Reinhold; and special friends and cousin, Robert and Sheryl Metzger; along with sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends. Mr. Reinhold attended the Basilica of St. Louis - King of France Catholic Church (Old St. Louis Cathedral). Mark was the retired owner of McAuley Printing in St. Louis. He was a member of the Heart Transplant Association of St. Louis. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at the Basilica of St. Louis - King of France (Old Cathedral) in downtown St. Louis with Monsignor Jerome D. Billing officiating. Mr. Reinhold was buried at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Waterloo. Memorials may be made to his church, the Heart Transplant Association, Gibault Catholic High School or Ss. Peter and Paul Grade School.
Dorothy C.E. Rick, nee Schrader, 92, of Waterloo, died Oct. 18, 2014, in Waterloo. She was born Aug. 13, 1922 in Valmeyer, the daughter of the late Louis and Bertha Katherine (nee Wilde) Schrader. Mrs. Rick is survived by her daughters Virginia (Kurt) Faber and Susan Rick; grandsons Michael Faber and Jonathan (Katie) Faber; and siblings, Loraine Obst and Lester (Bonnie) Schrader; along with sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Rick; and brothers, Donald, Raymond and Howard Schrader. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at Zoar UCC of New Hanover with Pastor R.J. Morgan officiating. Mrs. Rick was buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Zoar UCC of New Hanover.
Arleen Frances Weilbacher, nee Freimuth, 74, of Columbia, died Oct. 20, 2014 at Barnes Jewish Medical Center. She was born Oct. 7, 1940, in Belleville, the daughter of Virginia (Reichert) Freimuth of Waterloo and the late Leland Freimuth. She married Joseph “Joey” Weilbacher in 1959. He died in 2010. Besides her mother, Mrs. Weilbacher is survived by her daughters, Christy Davis and Angela Brislin; sister, Ellen (Wayne) Rey; a brother, Glenn Freimuth; grandchildren, Joseph Brislin, Jr., Renee (Alex) Haase and Shelby Davis; and a great-grandchild, Alex Haase, Jr.; along with nieces and nephews. Arleen and Joey Weilbacher had owned Columbia Decorating Center. Funeral was at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Mrs. Weilbacher donated her remains to the Washington University School of Medicine. Memorials may be made to the Eugene Schorb - Immaculate Conception School Education Fund.
