Anthony J. Kruse, 91, of Waterloo, died March 21, 2010 in St. Louis, Mo. He was born Oct. 3, 1918, in St. Charles, Mo., the son of the late Bernard and Emma (Redinger) Kruse. Mr. Kruse is survived by his son, Dennis (Denise) Kruse; grandchildren Dawn (Ryan) Grohman and Dana (Gerred) Carothers; great-grandchildren Ashley, Aaron, Ande and Abby Grohman, and Whitley, Payton and Kelsey Carothers; and a sister, Margaret Friedhoff; along with sister-in-laws, brothers-in-law, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maurine (nee Brewer) Kruse (nee Brewer); a daughter, Patricia Kruse; brothers Barney, Al, Charlie, Eugene and Joe Kruse; and sisters Mary, Francis, Gertrude, Dorothy and Louise. Mr. Kruse was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing cards. Graveside service was Tuesday, March 23, at 2 p.m. at the SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Waterloo with Father Stan Konieczny presiding. Memorials may be made to the Waterloo Senior Center.
Bertha M. Waite (nee Martin), 99, of Waterloo, died March 23, 2010 in Waterloo. She was born May 26, 1910 in Bladen, Ohio, the daughter of the late Emery and Minnie (nee Lewis) Martin. Mrs. Waite is survived by her children Elva E. Cull, Norma J. “Gene” Boyd, Joanne Kuhn, Jane (Tony) Meglio, John (Alison) Waite and Charles A. (Cheri) Waite; along with grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil A. Waite; two brothers; and two sisters. Mrs. Waite was a homemaker and worked at Valley Department Store in Vicksburg, Miss., where she lived for many years. She was an active member of the Eastern Star Chapter and Hawkins Methodist Church. Visitation is Thursday, March 25, at 1 p.m. at Quernheim Funeral Home. A funeral will follow at 7 p.m., with Pastor Steve Neill presiding. Mr. Waite will be buried Friday, March 26, at 11:30 a.m. at Liberty Cemetery in Pulaski. Memorials may be made to Oak Hill in Waterloo.
Viola Muskopf, 86, of Columbia, died March 23, 2010 at Memorial Hospital in Belleville. She was born Aug. 5, 1923, in Dupo, the daughter of the late Clarence and Lena (Osick) Hoffmann. She married Earl Muskopf in 1948 in Columbia. He died March 8, 2010. Mrs. Muskopf is survived by brothers-in-law and sisters-in -law Russell (Minnie) Muskopf of Poplar Bluff, Mo., Bernice (Lester) Allgire of Maryville, Donald Muskopf of Dupo and Sharon (David) Wienhoff of Tucson, Ariz.; along with nieces, nephews and a godson. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Annabelle (Jerry) Collie. Viola was a bookkeeper with Mare and Company in St. Louis, Mo. from 1941 to the present. She attended St. Paul United Church of Christ in Columbia. Visitation is Saturday, March 27, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at St. Paul UCC of Columbia. Funeral will follow at 12 noon with Pastor Kristofer Avise-Rouse officiating. Mrs. Muskopf will be buried at the Evangelical St. Paul Cemetery in Columbia. The family extends a thank you to Dr. Sodhi and Dr. Dhanak, resident doctors and the many physicians and nurses at St. Louis University Hospital, along with Memorial Hospital's emergency department physicians, nursing staff, 2North and IMCU nursing staff and MCC staff. Memorials may be made to her church.
Leonard S. Gnojewski, 92, of Columbia, formerly of Madison, died March 24, 2010 at St. John's Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur, Mo. He was born Nov. 23, 1917 in Granite City, the son of the late Stanislaus and Anastasia (Rozycke) Gnojewski. He married Mary (Motil) Gnojewski in 1941. In addition to his wife, Mr. Gnokewski is survived by his children Leonard (Carol) Gnojewski of Edwardsville, Joan (Ony) Pashea of Greensville, Ind., Margaret (Steven) Drummond of Syracuse, N.Y. and Mary Ellen (Steven) Trottier of Columbia; 12 grandchildren, Paul Podraza, Jeff Podraza, Carol Lynn Gnojewski, Michael Gnojewski, Steven Gnojewski, Jean Gnojewski Lesicka, Darren Pashea, Stephanie Pashea, Matt Trottier, Nick Trottier, Steven Trottier and Samantha Trottier; and six great-grandchildren, Willow, Skyler, Madelyne, Lily, Samuel and Conrad. He was preceded in death by a brother, Edward Gnojewski; and a sister, Frances Ratkewicz. Mr. Gnojewski served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He retired after 40 years as a carpenter with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He was a member of the Venice-Madison American Legion Post 307 and the St. Stanislaus Lodge 1004 in Madison. Visitation is Friday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Columbia. A funeral will follow with Fr. Carl Scherrer officiating. Mr. Gnojewski will be buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Edwardsville. Memorials may be made to St. Stanislaus Lodge 1004 - Polish Hall.
Floyd Carl “Buck” Range, 84, of Dupo, died March 25, 2010. He was born May 13, 1925, in Cahokia, the son of the late Henry Joseph and Mae Goldie (nee Adkins) Range. Mr. Range is survived by his children, Carole (Rex) Hancock of Columbia and Debbie (Terry) Aldridge of Dupo; grandchildren Heather (Kip) Quevreaux, Courtney Aldridge, Brandon Aldridge and Brett Aldridge; great-grandson, Dane Quevreaux; and a sister, Marcella Rita Reeg. He was preceded in death by wife, Margaret Ann Range. Mr. Range was a retired farmer. He was a member of the St. Clair County Farm Bureau, former board member for the Dupo School District and a former trustee for the Village of East Carondelet. Visitation is Sunday, March 28, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Dashner-Leesman Funeral Home in Dupo. Funeral is Monday, March 29, at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Dupo with Pastor Steven Theiss officiating. Mr. Range will be buried at Valhalla Gardens in Belleville. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church in Dupo or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Columbia.
James Thomas Goldsmith, 86, of Waterloo, died March 31, 2010 in Waterloo. He was born Feb 4, 1924 in Walnut, NC., the son of the late Stephen and Betty (nee Thomas) Goldsmith. He is survived by his wife, Ida Mae (nee Payne) Goldsmith, whom he married Sept. 28, 1946. He is also survived by sons, Robert (Betty) Goldsmith of Waterloo, James M. Goldsmith Jr. of Waterloo and Randy (Debbie) Goldsmith of Waterloo; daughters Janet (Tom) Mooney of Renault, Joyce (Arlan) Koch of Evansville and Sabrina (Mark) Archambault of Eureka, Mo. He was preceded in death by five brothers, two sisters; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was a truck driver and a member of Teamster Local 618. Private graveside service is Friday, April 2 at Red Bud City Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were handled by Koch-Liefer Funeral Home in Red Bud.
Mildred A. Middleton, 78, of Orion, died Feb. 1, 2010 in Waterloo. She was born June 23, 1931, the daughter of the late Edward F. and Lula (Johnson) Middleton. Mrs. Middleton is survived by her grandchildren Donna Esker, Michael Haas, Vince Stern, Andrew Stern and Raymond Stern; sisters, Masie Mehrtens and Myrtle Walker; a sister-in-law, Marlene Middleton; and son-in-law, Vince Stern Sr.; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Cora Esker; grandson, Donnie Esker Jr.; three sisters; and four brothers. Visitation and funeral were at Quernheim Funeral Home.
Robert C. Poole, 79, of Columbia, died Feb. 3, 2010. He was born Oct. 28, 1930, in Huntington Park, Calif., the son of the late Carter and Martha (Driver) Poole. Mr. Poole is survived by his wife, Marie (Chaudet) Poole; children Becky Hays of Columbia, Cherie (Michael) Harris of Columbia, Traci Butz of Millstadt, Brian (Amy) Poole of Columbia and Scott Poole of Greenville; 13 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren; and puppies Toby and Tyson. He was preceded in death by a son, Robert Poole Jr.; a sister, Virginia Burk; and a brother, Richard Poole. Mr. Poole served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He retired as a parts manager at Elder Cadillac in Belleville after 24 years of service. Bob was a past member of the Knights of Columbus Council 6165. He enjoyed spending time with his family and attending his grandchildren’s activities. Visitation is Monday, Feb. 8, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Lawlor Funeral Home. A private graveside service will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Memorials may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Columbia or Hospice of Southern.
Marjorie F. Trost, 93, of Columbia, died Feb. 3, 2010. She was born Nov. 11, 1916, in Columbia, the daughter of the late Harry and Bertha Arnin (Kunz). She married Monroe H. Trost in 1949 in Columbia. He died in 1991. Mrs. Trost is survived by a brother, Walter (Marie) Arnin of St. Louis; and friends Gail (Galen) Riebeling, Chad and Lucas Riebeling, Matt (Shelley) Riebeling, Noah, Ethan and Kane Riebeling, Lauren (Jimmy) Foran, Lincoln Foran, and Kent (Joan) Weisenstein; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. Mrs. Trost was retired from the finance and accounting department at Scott Air Force Base. She attended St. Paul UCC of Columbia for more than 70 years, where she was a part-time book keeper and was also in the Evening Women's League. Majorie was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Rob Morris Chapter 98, Columbia Senior Citizens, Columbia Women's Club and the American Legion Post 581 Auxiliary. There was no visitation. Graveside services will be Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Evangelical St. Paul Cemetery, in Columbia with Pastor Bob Goddard officiating. Memorials may be made to her church or to Shriner's Hospital For Children.
George W. Guttmann, 95, of Waterloo, died Feb. 4, 2010 in Columbia. He was born May 24, 1914 in Fults, the daughter of the late Nicholas and Christina (nee Kunkel) Guttmann. Mr. Guttmann is survived by nieces and nephews Fern (Fred) Kinzinger, Marie (Eddie) Melliere, Robert (Joyce) Guttmann, Thelma (Ray) Shields and Charlene Waligorski; along with cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lura A. (nee Reiner) Guttmann; a nephew, Clinton (LaVerne) Schmieg; brothers Oscar, Walter and John Guttmann; and sisters Lena Schmieg and Marie Guttmann. Mr. Guttmann was a tech sergeant in the U.S. Army. Visitation is Sunday, Feb. 7, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Monday, Feb. 8, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. A service will immediately follow at the funeral home with Father Roger Karban. Mr. Guttmann will be buried at Valhalla Cemetery in Belleville. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or Heartland Hospice.
