Shirley B. Kunkel, nee Berneking, 65, of Dupo, died April 25, 2010 at her residence. She was born July 2, 1944 in Belleville, the daughter of the late Arthur Fred and Mildred Katherine (nee Mueller) Berneking. Mrs. Kunkel is survived by her husband of 43 years, Henry J. Kunkel of Dupo; and a sister, Sharron (Kenneth) Burgdorf of Columbia; along with nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, cousins and friends. Mrs. Kunkel retired after 35 years at Union Electric / Ameren. She was a member of Christ United Church of Christ in Dupo where she was part of the Women’s Guild and taught Sunday school for more than 20 years. Visitation is Monday, April 26, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Dashner-Leesman Funeral Home in Dupo. Funeral is Tuesday, April 27, at 10 a.m. at Christ United Church of Christ with Rev. Kim Kelly officiating. Mrs. Kunkel will be buried at the Palmier Cemetery in rural Columbia.
Carl H. Schmeltz, 80, of Waterloo, died April 27, 2010, in Waterloo. He was born Feb. 1930, the son of the late Charles and Elsie (nee Jaenke) Schmeltz-Gummersheimer. Mr. Schmeltz is survived by his wife, Imogene (Dodson) Schmeltz; children Steven (Katherine) Schmeltz, Kathy Oberto, Elaine (Mike) Williams and Glenn (Denise) Schmeltz; grandchildren Amanda and Justin Schmeltz, Ashley and Brooke Oberto, Tiffany and Kyle Williams and Dean and Dinah Schmeltz; along with sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by a brother, Paul Schmeltz. Mr. Schmeltz was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a retired farmer. Carl was a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ of Waterloo and the Masonic Lodge. Visitation is Friday, April 30, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Saturday, May 1 at 2 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Kris Avise-Rouse officiating. Mr. Schmeltz will be buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery in Waterloo. Memorials made to made to his church, Hospice of Southern Illinois or the American Cancer Society.
Frederick John Wood II, 85, of California, died April 27, 2010. He was born June 21, 1924 in Bellingham, Wash., the son of the late Frederick and Pearl (Pinkel) Wood. Mr. Wood is survived by his daughters, Kathryn Church Wood, Margaret Ann Kirk and Elizabeth Wood Antes; five grandsons; one granddaughter; one great-granddaughter; and a cousin, George (Noreen) Ziebold of Waterloo. A prayer service will be held Wednesday, May 12 at 4 p.m., at Brown Colonial Mortuary in Santa Ana, Calif. A military graveside service will be held Friday, May 14, at 11 a.m., at the SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Waterloo.
Robert E. Pease, 91, of Ottawa, formerly of Columbia, died April 28, 2010 at the Illinois Veteran's Home in LaSalle. He was born Dec. 12, 1918, in Tolu, Ky., the son of the late Charles and Ollie (Thurman) Pease. He was married Dollie (Shackelford) Pease in 1966 in Dwight. She died in 2006. Mr. Pease is survived by his daughters Betty Blair of Pontiac, Linda Sears of Normal and Paulette Schneider of Ottawa; a step-son, Thomas Shackelford of Aurora, Colo.; siblings Charles (Linda) Pease of Indianapolis, Ind.; Pauline Walker of Henderson, Ky., Marcia Davis of Elizabethtown and Richard (Pam) Pease of Elizabethtown; honorary daughter/cousin, Patty Yancy of Fredonia, Ky.; 10 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by a sister, Jean Douglas; and a grandson, Chad Schneider. Robert served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a Pearl Harbor survivor. He served as a Chief Boatswain's Mate on the USS Belle Grove LSD-2, and was a member of the ship’s alumni association. Graveside services is Monday, May 3, at 1:30 p.m., at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo. Local arrangements were handled by Lawlor Funeral Home Memorials may be made to Midwest Talking Books.
Charlotte J. Wolf (nee Bearce), 80, of Waterloo, died March 2, 2010 in Waterloo. She was born March 3, 1929, the daughter of the Walter Carl and Maude (nee Smith) Bearce. Mrs. Wolf is survived by her sons Russel (Debbie) Wolf and Renard Wolf; and grandchildren Emily (Birton) Cowden, Jonathan Wolf and Amanda Wolf; step-grandchildren Amy (Nathan) Strong, Eric (Sarah) Beck, Denny Hall and Jenna Hall. She was preceded in death by a brother and sisters. Mrs. Wolf was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a 40-year member of the Retired Teachers Association. Funeral procession with leave Quernheim Funeral Home on Monday, March 8 at 10:30 a. m. for an 11 a.m. graveside service at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis – Pastor Darrell Jones officiating. Memorials may be made to the Whispering Pines Alzheimer’s Unit of Oak Hill in Waterloo.
Michael Lee Cotton, 47, of Dupo, died March 2, 2010 at Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital in East St. Louis. He was born April 4, 1962 in Normandy, Mo., the son of Mary Cotton and the late Lee Ray Cotton. In addition to his mother, Mr. Cotton is survived by his wife, Chassidi (nee Martin) Cotton; children Courtney Smith, Jason Smith, Austin Smith, Kayleigh Smith and Kelly Smith; brothers Edward Cotton and Dale (Billie) Cotton; a sister, Michele (Bill) Watts; uncles William (Sue) Cotton and Ronnie (Judy)Cotton; nephew, Nicholas Cotton; and niece, Lilly Watts; along with cousins, other relatives and friends. Besides his father, he was a store manager for Ace Hardware in Granite City. He was a member of the American Legion and Moose Lodge. Visitation is Friday, March 5, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Dashner – Leesman Funeral Home in Dupo. Funeral service is Saturday, March 6, at 10 a. m., at the funeral home with Rev. Paul Martin officiating. Memorials may be made to family. According to his wishes, Mr. Cotton will be cremated.
Donald William Kunz, 83, of Millstadt, died March 4, 2010 at Memorial Hospital in Belleville. He was born April 6, 1926 in St. Louis, the son of the late Oliver and Martha (nee Jones) Kunz. Mr. Kunz is survived by his daughters Donna Maybery, Cheryl Gregowicz and Connie Durham; son, Jeffrey Kunz; grandchildren Danny, Rickey, Paul, Stephanie, Nicholas and Ciara; and a brother, Raymond Kunz; along with six great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria (nee Gutridge) Kunz. Mr. Kunz was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, was a member of the Dupo VFW Post and retired from Peabody Coal. Visitation is Monday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to 11 a. m. at Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt. A funeral will immediately with Rev. Matt Fritz officiating. Mr. Kunz will be buried with full military honors at the St. Paul Church Yard Cemetery in St. Louis with full military honors.
Eugene E. Goeddel, 92, of Waterloo, died March 4, 2010 in St. Louis. He was born Sept. 14, 1917 in Waterloo, the son of the late Edward and Mary (nee Kraft) Goeddel. Mr. Goeddel is survived by his children Jean Ann (Michael) Davison, David (Lynn) Goeddel and Lee (Sharon) Goeddel; grandchildren Elise (Steven) Horvath, Toni (Joshua) Hogan, Noel (Beth) Goeddel and Gerilyn Goeddel; great-grandchildren Greyson and Chase Horvath, Ethan and Cannon Hogan and Lucy and Violet Goeddel; and a sister, Edna M. Mueller; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucina (nee Hellmer) Goeddel; and a sister, Lavina Mathews. Mr. Goeddel attended St. Paul UCC in Waterloo and was employed with the Teamsters Union. He was formerly employed at the Waterloo Milk Co. Visitation is Sunday, March 7, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Monday, March 8, at 11 a. m., at St. Paul UCC with Pastor Mary Beth Hartenstein officiating. Mr. Goeddel will be buried at the SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Waterloo. Memorials may be made to St. Paul UCC of Waterloo.
Wayne Arthur Ritter, 87, of Columbia, died March 7, 2010, at the Missouri Veteran's Home in Warrensburg, Mo. He was born June 16, 1922, in Columbia, the son of the late Louis and Cora (Kremmel) Ritter. He married Juanita (Moore) Ritter in 1948 in Columbia. In addition to his wife, Mr. Ritter is survived by his daughters, Diana Ritter of Kansas City, Mo., Gale (Stephen) Toolen of Columbia and Susan (Chris) Wetzel of Columbia; grandchildren PFC Stephen Toolen, Heather (Scott) Heck, Mady Wetzel and Zach Wetzel; great-grandson, Xander Heck; a brother, Dale (Laverne) Ritter of Benton, Ky.; sisters Marilyn (Herbert) Stemler of Millstadt, Ruby Asselmeier of Sparta and Bernell Mueller of Columbia. He was preceded in death by a sister, Bernice Lepp; along with brothers Harold and Clemens Ritter. Mr. Ritter served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a lifelong telephone man and retired from civil service where he had worked as a communications specialist. Mr. Ritter was a lifetime members of Millstadt VFW Post 7980 Millstadt and Columbia American Legion Post 581 Columbia. He was a member of the Monroe County Farm Bureau and St. Paul Lutheran Church, Columbia, where he was a past-trustee. Visitation is Thursday, March 11, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Lawlor Funeral Home. Funeral is Friday, March 12, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbia with Pastor Steven Theiss and Rev. Edward Melchior officiating. Mr. Ritter will be buried at the St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery in Columbia. Memorials may be made to his church or the Missouri Veteran's Home.
Colin S. Straub, 59, of Columbia, died March 7, 2010. He was born Nov. 25, 1950 in Salinas Calif., the son of the late Arthur and Kathleen (nee Dannehold) Straub. Mr. Straub is survived by his sister, Lynette “Lynn” Toenjes; and brothers Michael (Sherry) Straub and David Straub; along with aunts, uncles, nieces and cousins. Mr. Straub served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He was retired from the United States Post Service. Visitation is Thursday, March 11, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Friday, March 12, at 9:45 a.m. at the funeral home with Father Carl Scherrer officiating. Mr. Straub will be buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Memorials may be made to the Immaculate Conception Church of Columbia’s New Church Building Fund.
