Mary R. Wiersch nee Heck, 84, of Ballwin, Mo., formerly of Waterloo, died January 29, 2006, in Chesterfield, Mo. She was born December 20, 1921, in Madonnaville, the daughter of the late Anton and Anna Heck nee Bussen. She was married to the late Frank C. Wiersch. Mrs. Wiersch is survived by her children Theresa (Dr.Phil) Hendricks of Clayton, Mo., and Jim (Cindy) Wiersch of St. Clair, Mo.; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; sister Vera (Elmer) Schneider of Waterloo; and brother Joe Heck of Waterloo. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brothers Adam Heck, Anton Heck, Leo Heck and Roger Heck. Mrs. Wiersch was a member of Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo, and well as Mary and Martha Society and ASC Associates in Ruma. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. A funeral mass was at Quernheim Funeral Home, Msgr. Thomas Flach officiating. She is buried at Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Waterloo. Memorials may be made to the St. Louis Dream Factory.
Jeff S. Riley, 57, of Columbia, died Oct. 27, 2013 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born March 20, 1956 the son of the late Herbert “Rip” and Gloria (nee Camenzind) Riley. Mr. Riley is survived by his wife, Linda (nee Weiss) Riley; a daughter, Erin C. Riley; his step-father, "Sam" Riley; and godmother, Gladys Werner. Jeff was an avid sportsman who loved hunting, fishing, the outdoors and the St. Louis Blues and Cardinals. An independent, entrepreneurial free spirit and mentor, he lived every day to the fullest. His sense of humor was contagious because "he was always up to something." Mr. Riley traveled the world with his family and friends and was a lover of antique cars. He was a past member and president of the Columbia Kiwanis Club and a member of Ducks Unlimited and the Early V-8 Ford Club. He organized and chaired numerous charitable car shows in the region. The Riley family is grateful to Dr. Amy Loden and the staff at Barnes Jewish Hospital for their extraordinary vigilance and comforting care. Visitation and funeral were at the Kutis Affton Chapel in South County. Mr. Riley was buried at Rose Lawn Cemetery in Crystal City, Mo. Memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Monroe County or St. Jude’s Hospital
Martha C. Falk, 73, of Waterloo, died Oct. 27, 2013, at her home surrounded by her family after a long battle of cancer. Mrs. Falk is survived by her children, Thomas "Fish" L. (Julie) Falk of Waterloo and Jerry W. (Denise) Falk of Red Bud; grandchildren, Thomas Falk and Lauren "Sis" Falk of Waterloo; and brothers, Newt "Red" (Judy) Harris of Gallatin, Tenn., and Richard (Pat) Harris of Hecker; along with nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Tom and Leatha (nee Ward) Harris; her husband, Fredrick "Freddie" Falk; a son, Terry L. Falk; brothers, Glenn and Ivan Harris; and sisters, Sylvia Maurer and Shirley Bunch. Private funeral services were held.
Donald L. Gaitsch, 79, of Waterloo, died Oct. 18, 2013, in St. Louis.He was born May 6, 1934, in Red Bud, the son of the late Theodore and Mayme (nee Mennerich) Gaitsch. Mr. Gaitsch is survived by his wife, June (nee Whelan) Gaitsch; children. Darrell (Jane) Gaitsch, Roger Gaitsch and Donna Rusteberg; a sister, Edna Wetzler; a sister-in-law, Laverne Whelan; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Mr. Gaitsch was the owner of Don’s Electric in Waterloo. Private services were held. Mr. Gaitsch was buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery.
Alma O. Cain, nee Rasnic; 89, of Columbia, died Oct. 19, 2013 in Waterloo. She was born June 28, 1924, in Wortham, Mo., the daughter of the late James and Delphia (nee Speer) Rasnic. Mrs. Cain is survived by her daughter, Jane (Michael) Wood; grandchildren, Mike Wood II, Daniel (Celia) Wood, Melissa (Adam) Gaitsch and Kimberly Wood; and nine great-grandchildren; along with sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Ernest Cain; and a son, Charles Allen Cain; along with her brothers. Mrs. Cain attended Hope Christian Church. Visitation and funeral were at Hope Christian Church with Pastor Dennis Jones officiating. Mrs. Cain was buried at Big River Cemetery in Irondale, Mo. Memorials may be made to the Oak Hill Alzheimer's Unit or the Hope Christian Church Food Pantry.
David Allen Wheat, 73, of Waterloo, died Oct. 22, 2013. He was born April 16, 1940, in Valmeyer, the son of the late George and Amelia (nee Rubemeyer) Wheat. Mr. Wheat is survived by his wife, Jean (nee Sparwasser) Wheat; children, Steve (Mary) Wheat and Susan (Keith) Scheibe; grandchildren, Zachary Wheat, Avery Wheat, Andrew Scheibe and Kaitlyn Scheibe; a brother, Marlin (Janice) Wheat; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Shirley Wheat, Louise Gremmels, Arline Reed, Marlene (Richard) Buettner and Butch (Laurie) Sparwasser; and his lifelong friend, Charles Juelfs. He was preceded in death by brothers, Leonard, Robert and Wilbert Wheat; a sister in infancy; and his devoted dog, Molly. Mr. Wheat attended St. Paul UCC in Waterloo. He grew up enjoying working on cars, so in 1977 he started the family-owned businesses, Wheat's Auto Body, Inc. and Wheat's Auto World, Inc. David also served on the State Bank of Waterloo’s board of directors. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at St. Paul UCC in Waterloo, with Pastor James Watson officiating. Mr. Wheat was buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Salem-Baum Cemetery Association.
Dorothy L. Peterson, nee Bettis, 86, of Millstadt, died Oct. 22, 2013, at the Freeburg Care Center. She was born July 29, 1927 in East Carondelet, the daughter of the late John and Elsie Bettis. Mrs. Peterson is survived by her husband Charles Peterson; a son, son, Ken “Flash” (Paula) Farley; granddaughters Stacey (Duane) Dambacher, Kendra Rieso and Tiffany (Tim) VanMatre; great-grandchildren, Ayven and Grady VanMatre; her brother, Alvin (Gaye) Bettis; a sister, Virginia Steiger; and a sister-in-law, Delores Bettis; along with five step-children. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Sharon K. Rieso; her brother, Glen Bettis; a sister, Marie Steiger; and brothers-in-law, Percy Muskopf and Wayne Steiger. Mrs. Peterson was employed at Hunter Packing in East St. Louis. She was a member of Millstadt VFW Post 7980 Ladies Auxiliary. Visitation and funeral were at Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt with Rev. David Krueger officiating. Mrs. Peterson was buried at Mount Evergreen Cemetery in Millstadt. Memorials may be made to the Millstadt Senior Center or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Doris Mae Tolbird, nee Range, 83, of Columbia died Oct. 26, 2013 surrounded by her family at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Tolbird was born Oct. 17, 1930 in Cahokia, the daughter of the late Joseph and Emma (Levin) Range. Doris married James D. “J.D.” Tolbird Jr. in 1949. He died in 1989. Mrs. Tolbird is survived by her children, Douglas (Donna) Tolbird of San Antonio, Tex., Geri (Allyn) Konrad of Collierville, Tenn., and Tammy (P. Michael) Read of Columbia; a son-in-law, Don Noski of Cahokia; grandchildren, Jessica (Zach) Busby, Stacy (Blake) Emery, Donnie (Ella) Noski, Chad (fiancée Erica Hampton) Noski, Katie Noski, Lisa (David) Schmidt, Bridget (Mike) Walton, A.J. Konrad, and Mattie and Patrick McDermott; step-grandchildren, Aaron Wilhelm, Brenna (Mike) Burgiel, Michaela (Tony) Campagnolo, and Kerry and Dillon Read; great-grandchildren, Kamdyn Emery, Brittany Stover, Brianna Noski, Jared and Peyton Schmidt, and Trey, Carson and Addison Walton; brother-in-laws, Toliver Tolbird and Larry Tolbird; and a sister-in-law, Clara Range; along with nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Sandra Noski; brothers Theodore, Paul, Virgil, Joseph Jr. and Kenneth Range; and sisters Ermantine Gruninger and Gertrude Doerr. Doris was a longtime member of St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church in Cahokia and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Columbia. She attended St. Teresa Academy and Dupo High School. Doris retired in the early 1990s as the bookkeeper for J.D. Tolbird Inc. (Roger’s Cartage Trucking Company) in Sauget. After retirement, Mrs. Tolbird was active in the Columbia Woman’s Club, Immaculate Conception Altar Society, Immaculate Conception Renew Group and the Red Hat Society. She enjoyed playing pinochle, bunco, quilt bingo and going to lunch with her many life-long friends. Some of her most treasured moments were spending time with family and friends at her lake home on Lake of Egypt in Southern Illinois. Visitation was at Braun Funeral Home in Columbia. Funeral was at Immaculate Conception Church with Fr. Carl Scherrer officiating. Mrs. Tolbird was buried at Lake View Memorial Gardens in Fairview Heights. Memorials may be made to Immaculate Conception Church or ICS.
Jeanette L. Detrich, nee Lilly, 77, of Columbia, died Oct. 26, 2013. Visitation is Thursday, Oct. 31, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
A funeral will follow.
Mrs. Detrich will be buried at Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights.
Emma A. Rodenberg, nee Schmidt, 95, of Waterloo, died Oct. 1, 2013, in Waterloo. She was born March 7, 1918 in Fults, the daughter of late Phillip and Barbara (nee Hoffmann) Schmidt. Mrs. Rodenberg is survived by her children, Orval Rodenberg and Alice (Michael) Eichenseer; grandchildren, Gwen (Paul) Wilson, Gary (Caroline) Rodenberg, Amy (Chris) Eschmann and Kelly (Jeff) Walkenhorst; and great-grandchildren, James and Kylie Eschmann, Mason Boatright, Danni Mitchell and William Walkenhorst; along with nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ervin Rodenberg; daughter-in-law, Lynne R. Rodenberg; a brother, Carl Schmidt; and her sister, Louisa Rodenberg. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at Zion UCC in St. Joe with Pastor Nancy Spier-Lee officiating. Mrs. Rodenberg was buried at the church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to Zion UCC of St. Joe.
