Judith "Judy" A. Fromme, 72, of Columbia, died June 16, 2013, at St. Louis University Hospital. She was born Aug. 5, 1940, in Columbia, the daughter of the late Leo and Ardella (nee Sensel) Fromme. Mrs. Fromme is survived by siblings Mary K. Havel of Belleville, Michael Fromme of Columbia and Christine (Ron) Ettling of Columbia. She was preceded in death by her brothers Leo Fromme, and Francis Fromme; sisters Eileen Toenjes and Rosalie Bise; and a niece, Debbie Wells. Judy was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the Columbia Historical Society. She had retired as a mail machine specialist at Ralston Purina. Visitation was at Lawlor Funeral Home. Funeral was at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Columbia with Fr. Carl Scherrer officiating. Judy was buried at Immaculate Conception Cemetery. Memorial may be made to the Immaculate Conception School Education Fund or Leukemia and Lymphoma Research.
Russell Eugene Gamblin, 71 of Millstadt, died June 17, 2013, at his residence. He was born June 28, 1941, in East St. Louis, the son of the late Ivan and Laura (nee Stone) Gamblin. Mr. Gamblin is survived by his wife, Carol (nee Case) Gamblin; children Kim Freeman of Millstadt and Terry (Beth) Gamblin of Freeburg; grandchildren Christi Johnson, Danny Freeman, Nathan Freeman, Zach Gamblin and Ryan Gamblin; and great-grandchild Ava Freeman. He was preceded in death by a brother and his daughter, Angela Gamblin-Cissell. Mr. Gamblin served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He retired after the closure of the Carrier Plant in Red Bud. Visitation and funeral were at Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt with Rev. Darrell Weber officiating. Mr. Gamblin was cremated.
Louis “Jerry” Baltz, 81 of Millstadt, died June 16, 2013, at Memorial Hospital in Belleville. He was born July 26, 1930, in Belleville, the son of the late Louis and Elsie (nee Seib) Baltz. Mr. Baltz is survived by his daughter, Thea (James) Jestes of Millstadt; a son, Colin (Joy) Baltz of Millstadt; and grandchildren Shelby Jestes, Conor Baltz and Maggie Baltz. He was preceded in death by his wife, Irene Katherine (nee Otten) Baltz. Mr. Baltz was retired from Clark-Peeper Office in St. Louis. He attended Zion Evangelical Church and was member of the Millstadt Commercial Club, American Legion Post 502 and the Crusader Drum and Bugle Corps Alumni. Visitation was at Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt. Funeral was at Zion Evangelical Church in Millstadt with Rev. Darrell Weber, officiating. Mr. Baltz was buried with military honors at the Mount Evergreen Cemetery.
Walter Otto Schnellbecher, 83, of Waterloo, died June 18, 2013 in St. Louis. He was born Oct. 29, 1929, in Waterloo. Mr. Schnellbecher is survived by his wife, Melba (nee Gruewald) Schnellbecher; a son, Ralph Schnellbecher; and grandchildren Hannah and Aspen. At Mr. Schnellbecher’s request, his body was donated to science and there were no services.
Lillian H. Kohlmeier, nee Thorburg, 94, of Waterloo, died May 19, 2013, in Red Bud. She was born June 11, 1918 in Wartburg, the daughter of the late Charles and Agatha (nee Buettner) Thorburg. Mrs. Kohlmeier is survived by her children, Leon (Kathleen) Kohlmeier, Karen Kohlmeier and Sandra Kohlmeier; grandchildren, Candice (Mark) Doyle, Cara Lee Kohlmeier, Clint (Jessica) Kohlmeier, Carin Kohlmeier and Ebony Sherod; a sister-in-law, Audrey (nee Kohlmeier) Hoffmann; and a brother-in-law, Wilbert Kohlmeier; along with nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces, great-great-nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond M. Kohlmeier; along with sisters, brothers, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Mrs. Kohlmeier attended Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Wartburg where she was active in the Ladies Aid. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Wartburg with Pastor Stuart Rethwisch officiating. Mrs. Kohlmeier was buried at the church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Holy Cross Lutheran Cemetery Fund.
Lorine M. “Cookie” Liefer, nee Wolter, 84, of Waterloo, died May 18, 2013, in Des Peres, Mo. She was born Dec. 28, 1928 in Evansville, the daughter of the late Louis Wolter and Selma Stamm. Mrs. Liefer is survived by her husband, Erwin “Erv” Liefer; children, Betty Lou (William) Schimpf and Candace "Candy" (Randy) Bise; grandchildren, Ryan (Kristi) Schilling, Chrystal (Chris) Luck, Nathan (Jennifer) Bise and Tiffany Bise; sisters, Fern (Gilbert) Goedelmann and Darlene Bicklein; and four great-grandchildren; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Vernon Bicklein. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo with Pastor Tony Troup and Pastor Matt Clark officiating. Mrs. Liefer was buried at the Waterloo City Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo.
Rose Marie Herbeck, nee Quirin, 82, of Columbia, died May 20, 2013, at Columbia Rehab and Nursing Center. She was born Jan. 16, 1931, in Belleville, the daughter of the late Raymond and Grace (nee Siebert) Quirin. Rose married Robert F. Herbeck in 1949 in Belleville. He died in 1974. Mrs. Herbeck is survived by her children, Kathy (Dean) Whitcomb of Rockford, Terry (Mary) Herbeck of Columbia, Larry (Melissa) Herbeck of Columbia and Bonnie (Rick) Shackelford of Spring, Tex.; daughter-in-law, JoAnn Herbeck of Columbus, Ga.; a sister, Pauline (Howard) Ramsey of Keysport; a brother, Larry (Virginia) Quirin of Belleville; 15 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Robert Herbeck, Jr.; and a sister, Ruth Ann Lambeck. Mrs. Herbeck attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Columbia. Visitation and funeral were at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Columbia with Father Carl Scherrer officiating. Mrs. Herbeck was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Memorials may be made to her church or to the American Heart Association.
Ruth Proffer McConkey, 93, died May 3, 2013, in Chesterfield, Mo. She was born Sept. 6, 1919, in East St. Louis, the daughter of the late Oliver George Proffer and Emma Grace Hayden. When Ruth was four, her mother died, leaving six children aged 10 and under. The siblings were separated and did not reunite until they were adults. Ruth spent some time in an orphanage. She became the foster daughter of August J. Ebersohl and Maria (Mary) Dyroff Ebersohl of Merrimac in rural Monroe County. Her elementary education was spent at Walnut Grove, a one-room school which was next door to the Ebersohl home. She excelled at school. On the basis of Ruth’s eighth grade graduation scores she was awarded a teacher’s college tuition scholarship. Ruth attended Valmeyer High School and made the daily trek even though bus transportation was not provided. Sometimes she walked to school or boarded in Valmeyer. After two years at VHS, her school days were over after Ruth decided she no longer wanted to be a teacher, which required finishing high school and attending college. After two years she left high school. Her foster mother, Mary, was the Merrimac 4-H leader. Ruth learned to be an expert at cooking, canning and sewing. Ruth later became a 4-H leader and passed on her knowledge to the next generation. Ruth was a pitcher in the Monroe County Rural Youth Softball Team the year they won the state title. She was confirmed at St Paul Evangelical and Reformed Church in Columbia. Ruth met the love of her life, William George McConkey, at the old round dance hall in Merrimac. They were both 16, born just four days apart. Bill went right over to Ruth, who was sitting with a number of young men, and asked her to dance. That night Ruth knew Bill was the man she was going to marry. She apprenticed as a beautician with Florence and Alice McConkey, who were sisters of her fiancé Bill. After getting her beautician license, Ruth operated her beauty shop in Waterloo. After their marriage in 1941, the couple danced all their lives, beginning at Columbia’s old Turner Hall and all the small country dance halls in rural Monroe County. The couple learned square dancing when they participated in the 1959 Columbia Centennial Pageant. Bill and Ruth joined various dance clubs and became expert square and round dance partners. They retired at age 57 and began spending winters in South Texas, eventually relocating permanently to San Benito. There they danced seven days a week. Ruth and Bill also traveled extensively. Mrs. McConkey is survived by her children, Shirley (Herbert) Macias of Rio Rancho, N.M.; Susan Woodcock of Niceville, Fla., and Kenneth (Nancy) McConkey of St Louis; grandchildren, Jason (Tara) Patterson, Angela (Tim) Miller, Patricia (Bradley) Brobeck, and Christian, Grayson and Victoria Brobeck, and Kimberly Carrasco; great-grandchildren, Caitlin, Alyssa, Ryan and Carolyn Patterson, Michael Hesselbach II, Angela, Kaley and Solina Carrasco, and Trenton and Hayden Miller; a step-granddaughter, Rachel Amratiel of St Louis; and a sister-in-law, E. Lorraine McConkey of Columbia; along with nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, William G. McConkey; son-in-law, Arthur R. Woodcock; and siblings, Juanita, Jeanette, George, Olive and Dora Mae. Visitation is Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at St. Paul UCC. A funeral will follow.
Maxine P. Mormann, nee Berendzen, 81, of Waterloo, died May 23, 2013, in St. Louis. She was born Sept. 18, 1931, in Mary’s Home, Mo., the daughter of the late Albert and Margaret (nee Bungart) Berendzen. Mrs. Mormann is survived by her children, Sandra (Delbert) Wittenauer, Wayne Mormann, Christine (Mike) Eggemeyer, Michael (Lisa) Mormann and John (Erica) Mormann; six grandsons; and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, William J. Mormann. Mrs. Mormann was a member SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo with Father Osang Idagbo officiating. Mrs. Mormann was buried at her church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Diabetes Foundation.
