Steven “Austin” Nicholas Baum, 6, of Waterloo, died Feb. 20 in rural Waterloo. Austin is survived by his parents, Steve and Deena Baum of Waterloo; a sibling, Rowan; great-grandparents Gearard and Georgia Baum of Pompano Beach, Fla.; grandparents Rose Maciocia of St. Louis, and Frank and Betty Poore of Sylacauga, Ala.; aunts and uncles Jerry (Nancy) Baum of Bonita Springs, Fla., Scott (Tracy) Baum of Chesterfield, Mo., Chad (Pam) Baum of Chesterfield, Mo., Jeff (Kellie) Poore of Sylacauga, Ala., and Sheree Poore Rogers of Chelsea, Ala.; and cousins Jacob Rogers, Baylee Poore, Kassidy Poore and Madison Baum. Austin raced Moto X and played baseball and soccer. A memorial service is planned for Thursday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m., at St. Louis Family Church in Chesterfield, Mo., with Pastor John Moore officiating. Memorials may be made to the Austin Baum Memorial Fund established at State Bank of Waterloo, PO Box 148, Waterloo, IL, 62298. Donations will be dispersed in Austin’s memory. Arrangements were handled by Schrader Funeral Home in St. Louis.
Norman Kenneth Jaeger, 68, of East Carondelet, died Feb. 23, 2010. He was born Feb. 24, 1941, the son of the late Kenneth and Ellen (nee Rockey) Jaeger. Mr. Jaeger is survived by his wife, Deborah (nee Yentes) Jaeger; children Todd (Christine) Jaeger, Matt (Gail) Jaeger, Jill (J.P.) Blin and Meredith (Tony) Lambert; eight grandchildren; sisters Joyce (Don) Krumseig and Sonja (AJ) Rassi; brother, Phil (Donna) Jaeger; and an aunt, Eleanor Ball. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Jennifer, in infancy and a grandchild. Mr. Jaeger was a member of the Concord Presbyterian Church in Waterloo. Visitation is Friday, Feb. 26 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Saturday, Feb. 27, at 10 a.m. at Concord Presbyterian Church in Waterloo with Pastor Will Hesterberg officiating. Mr. Jaeger will be buried at Bethlehem Cemetery in St. Louis. Memorials may be made to Redeemer’s Special Church or Concord Presbyterian Church.
Sytha Ellen Hatfield, 70, of Prairie du Rocher, died Feb. 24, 2010 at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville. She was born Jan. 20, 1940 in Jasonville, Ind., to the late William and Opal (nee Stout) Turley. She married William “Bill” Hatfield Jr. in 1962 in Coalmont, Ind. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Hatfield is survived by her children Pamela Hatfield of Ruma, William Hatfield III of Evansville, Ind., and Mark Hatfield of Prairie du Rocher; five grandchildren, Corey, Cameron, Meagan, Cassidy and Caleb; one brother; and three sisters; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by two brothers; and a granddaughter, Darian Lee Hatfield. Mrs. Hatfield was a homemaker and small business owner. Visitation is Friday, Feb. 26, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Welge-Pechachek Funeral Home in Red Bud. A memorial service will immediately follow. Mrs. Hatfield will be buried at a later date.
Charlotte (Hirsch) Fobar, 55, of Dupo, formerly of Columbia, died Feb. 24, 2010 at The Lincoln Home in Belleville. She was born April 11, 1954, in East St. Louis, the daughter of the late Emil and Rose Marie (Wylie) Hirsch. She was married John H. Fobar. He died in 1990. Mrs. Fobar is survived by a son, John Fobar Jr. of Chula Vista, Calif., brother, Charles Hirsch of Dupo; and a sister, Darlene Hirsch of Belleville. A cremation was held and an internment of ashes will take place at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Columbia. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Craig Earl Oder, 49, of Columbia Mo., died February 24, 2010 in Rolla, Mo. He was born Nov. 15, 1960 in East Saint Louis, the son of the late Donald and Marilyn (nee Herbert) Oder. Mr. Oder is survived by a brother, William (Elda) Oder of Easly SC; sister, Renae (Tony) Mayer of Waterloo; special friend, Alana Johnson; daughters Kandice and Katrina Gatewood; grandchildren Jonathan Ehler and Kayelyn Gatewood Kimbrough; and friends Linda, Mike, David and Steven Wallerstein. Mr. Oder was a chauffeur. Visitation is Sunday, March 7, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at DeFabio Funeral Home. A memorial service will immediately follow with Pastor Mary Beth Hartenstein officiating.
Edith M. Castleberry, nee Reitz, 85, of Waterloo, died Feb. 25, 2010 in Red Bud. She was born Dec. 21, 1924 in Waterloo the daughter of the late George and Louisa J. (nee Hauptfleisch) Reitz. Mrs. Castleberry is survived by sisters Bernice Church, Dorothy Whelan and Melba Ryan; brothers Earl and Don Reitz; and a sister-in-law, Delma Reitz; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Castleberry; son, Michael Castleberry; sisters Jean Frank and Bernell Rehmer; and a brother, Clarence Reitz. Visitation is Sunday, Feb. 28, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Monday, March 1, at 10 a.m., at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo with Father Stan Konieszny officiating. She will be buried at the church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, Hospice of Southern Illinois or SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
Fred J. “Joe” Thomas Jr., 65, of Columbia died Feb. 25, 2010. He was born Sept. 22, 1944 in Wood River, the son of the late Fred J. Thomas Sr. and Blance (nee Little) Thomas. Mr. Thomas is survived by sons, Joseph and Nicholas Thomas; grandson, Christopher Thomas; a sister, Pat Tritley; and former wife, Phyllis Thomas; along with nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Visitation is Sunday, Feb. 28 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Monday, March 1, at 10 a.m. at Bethany United Methodist Church in Columbia with Pastor Allynn Walker and Pastor Gary Mossiman officiating. Mrs. Thomas will be buried at Valhalla Cemetery in Belleville. Memorials may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation or the American Cancer Society.
Bernard C. Wuertz, 69, of Red Bud, formerly of Valmeyer, died Jan. 2, 2010 in Red Bud. He was born Aug. 31, 1940 in Harrisonville, the son of the late Frank and Lillian (nee Keepes) Wuertz. Mr. Wuertz is survived by his wife, Eileen (nee Fusch) Wuertz; sons Carol (Denise) Wuertz and David (Sarah) Wuertz; grandchildren Will, Emma, Matthew and Audrey Wuertz; sisters Marilyn Schuttenhelm and Carol Roy; brothers Donald (Judith) Wuertz and Tom (Linda) Wuertz; sisters-in-law Jeannie Wuertz and Mary Ann Naimey; brother-in-law, David Ahrens; and uncle, Jacob Keepes; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his brothers James and William Wuertz; a sister, Rose Ahrens; brothers-in-law Don Schuttenhelm and Earl "Buck" Roy; and nephews John and Scott Wuertz. Mr. Wuertz was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Ruma and the Illinois - Mississippi Valley Gun Club. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Ruma with Father Clyde Grogan officiating. Mr. Wuertz was buried at Immaculate Conception Church in Madonnaville. Memorials may be made to his church or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Michelle "Shelley" Decker, 39, of Waterloo, died Jan. 3, 2010 at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Louis, County. She was born Dec. 22, 1970 in Belleville. Mrs. Decker is survived by her sons Gregory and Brandon Wallace of Waterloo; her father, Robert (Edna) Johnson of Barnhart, Mo.; sisters Cathie (Roger) Massie of Waterloo, Janet (Larry) Harris of East Carondelet and Teresa (Joe) Hurt of DeSoto, Mo.; half-brother, Tim Johnson, of Barnhart, Mo.; step-brother, James Donahue of Barnhart, Mo.; and companion, John Bagsby of Waterloo; along with nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her mother, Jeanette Johnson; brothers, Mark, Robert and Dennis Johnson; and a sister, Bobbie Lou Johnson. She was employed at St. Louis University as a grants development specialist for the chemistry department. Visitation is Tuesday, Jan. 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Lawlor Funeral Home. A memorial service will follow. A private interment of ashes will take place. Memorials may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.
Gayle DesCombes Jeffries, 87, of Waterloo, formerly Columbia, Carbondale and Gillette, Wyo., died Jan. 3, 2010 at Oak Hill Nursing Home in Waterloo. She was born Sept. 7, 1922 in the Owsley Community in Johnson County, Mo., the late Everett and Ella (nee Champ) Craig. Mrs. Jeffries is survived by a son, Larry (Carol) DesCombes of Leeton, Mo.; daughters Jody (Ray) and Jack Miller of Smithton, Dee Linda (Gene) Rohrer of Mayview, Mo., and Janet (David) Finnerty of Columbia; eight grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild; along with nieces, nephews and other relatives. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by three sisters. Gayle attended grade school in Johnson County, Mo. and worked as a secretary for the Laborer’s Union Local 588 in Sedalia, Mo. Mr. Jeffries also was a Singer Company sewing instructor for 15 years and managed a consignment shop and shoe store for several years. She enjoyed sewing, reading, cooking, jewelry (especially Turquoise), NASCAR (Dale Earnhardt), yard sales, country music, fall colors, leather shoes and purses, the police blotter and her scanner, bragging on her children (“I’ve got four good kids!”) and great big, fat, juicy greasy cheeseburgers. Private services were held. Arrangements were handled by Crain Pleasant Grove-Murdale Funeral Home in rural Carbondale. Memorials may be made to Oak Hill Nursing Home.
