Robert D. Bransford of Kirkwood died Friday, Dec. 5, 2003. He was 95.
Mr. Bransford practiced law in the St. Louis area for more than 60 years. He was the husband of 65 years of Betty Bransford (nee Fox); father of Nancy (Ron) Calvert and Steve (Bitsy) Bransford; grandfather of Nicole (Dave) Tulis, Steve Calvert, Scott, Dan (Laura) and Andy Bransford; great-grandfather of Walter and Carson Tulis and William Bransford.
A private graveside service was held Dec. 7. Memorials to Habitat for Humanity. Arrangements by Forever Oak Hill at Pfitzinger in Kirkwood.
Margaret Hodges of Kirkwood died Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003.
Mrs. Hodges was the wife of the late Raymond Hodges; mother of Robert, Jack and Bill Hodges; grandmother and great-grandmother.
Funeral services were held Dec. 8, at Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood. Interment, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Arrangements by Forever Oak Hill at Pfitzinger in Kirkwood.
Francis Xavier LaVar Sr. of Webster Groves died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2003. He was 74.
Mr. LaVar was the husband of Peggy (nee Castello) LaVar; father of Francis (Janet) LaVar Jr., Kathleen (Bob) DeBord, Andrew LaVar and Michelle (Robert) Hagen; grandfather of Shawn, Nicole, Ashley, Lauren, Courtney, David, Danica and Lydia; brother of Mary Quayle, Sr. Ruth LaVar and the late Dorothy Bauer and Victor LaVar.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Gerber Chapel in Webster Groves. Interment, Resurrection Cemetery. Memorials to the American Cancer Society.
Gladys Ann Thomas (nee Quade) of Kirkwood died Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2003.
Mrs. Thomas was born May 17, 1917. She was an owner of World Travel Service and a world traveler, a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, and a member for over 50 years of Chapter GX of the PEO Sisterhood.
Mrs. Thomas was the wife of the late William O. Thomas; daughter of the late Charles and Josephine Wondracheck Quade; mother of William D. Thomas, Kathleen Knehans and the late Ann Thomas; mother-in-law of Donna Thomas and Larry Knehans; grandmother of Andrew, Laurie, Emily, Debbie, Joseph, Julie and Robin; great-grandmother of Ashley, Thomas, Benjamin, Annabelle and Emma; sister, aunt and friend.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Dec. 6, at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood. Interment, Forever Oak Hill Cemetery. Memorials to the First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, 100 E. Adams, Kirkwood, Mo., 63122; or the Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Avenue, St. Louis, Mo., 63110.
Vernon E. Bopp, of Kirkwood died Thursday, April 8, 2004.
Mr. Bopp was a longtime Kirkwood resident, and retired water plant supervisor. He was the husband of the late Ethel L. Bopp (nee Stemmermann); father of James K. and Randy (Pam) Bopp; grandfather of Alan, Patrick and Dustin Bopp and Angela Chickey; great-grandfather of Nicholas Bopp, Caitlyn and Anna Chickey; brother of Emily Bopp, the late John, Warren and Howard Bopp and Carolyn Gammeter; brother-in-law, uncle, great-uncle, great-great-uncle, cousin and friend to many.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 13, at Concordia Lutheran Church in Maplewood. Memorial contributions may be made to Concordia Lutheran Church, 7291 Sarah St., Maplewood, Mo., 63143; or a charity of one's choice. Arrangements by Bopp Chapel, Kirkwood.
Beverly T. Buckles of Glendale died Thursday, April 8, 2004.
Mrs. Buckles was church secretary at Bethany Lutheran Church in Webster Groves; an active alumna of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority; and a graduate of Stephens College and Washington University.
She was the wife of L. Neil Buckles; mother of James N. (Sarah) Buckles and Joanne R. Stockstrom; grandmother of Corinne Buckles and Tyler and Blaine Stockstrom; sister-in-law, cousin and friend to many.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 17, 10 a.m., at St. Matthews Episcopal Church, 1551 Bennett Ave. in Warson Woods. A private burial service was held April 12, at St. Paul Churchyard.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to St. Matthews Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, or the American Cancer Society. Arrangements by Bopp Chapel, Kirkwood.
John A. "Johnnie" Hofer, a lifetime resident of Rock Hill died Sunday, April 11, 2004. He was 88 years old.
Mr. Hofer was the husband of Harriet L. Hofer (nee Cooper); father of Judith (Jack) Barry, Suzanne (John) Bowman and John R. (Janet) Hofer; grandfather of Susan Hovermale, Jack Barry, Jennifer McGrath, Tom and Andrew Bowman, Julie Campbell and Joni Robinson; great-grandfather of six; brother of Violet McWilliams and the late Daisy Austin and Edward Hofer; father-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend to many.
Mr. Hofer was a lifetime member of Rock Hill Presbyterian Church. He worked in the dairy industry for over 70 years, and was given the Meritorious Service Award for the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors at the University of Missouri. He was also a member of Lambskin Masonic Lodge #460 A.F. & A.M.
Funeral services were held Thursday, April 15, at Bopp Chapel in Kirkwood. Interment private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Heart Research Fund or Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund at Barnes/Jewish Hospital Foundation, Mailstop, 90-94-206, 600 S. Taylor Ave., St. Louis, Mo., 63110.
Arthur G. Ash Sr. of Marble Hill, Mo., formerly of Kirkwood died Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005. He was 81.
Mr. Ash was born April 8, 1924, in Richmond Heights, and grew up in Kirkwood. He left school during his high school years to help support his family. Prior to 1943, he worked as an automobile serviceman in Webster Groves.
Mr. Ash fought in the Pacific Theater of World War II. After his discharge in 1945, he and his wife Jane moved to Kirkwood, where he worked as a Kirkwood city fireman. When he retired in 1974, they bought a farm in Marble Hill. He was member of the Kirkwood Lodge 484 A.F. & A.M. Rabboni Chapter, the Ascolan Commandery, and the Moolah Temple.
Mr. Ash was the husband of the late Jane McCurdy Ash; father of Sandra Holland, Linda Abbott, Arthur G. Ash, Jr. and Scott S. Ash; grandfather of 11; great-grandfather of six. He was preceded in death by his wife, one granddaughter, three brothers and one sister.
Funeral services were held Sept. 26, at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill. Interment, Plainview Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Shriner's Hospital for Children, 2001 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63131; or a charity of one's choice.
Joseph L. Badaracco of Webster Groves died Monday, Oct. 10, 2005. He was 85.
Mr. Badaracco received his A.B. degree in 1941 from St. Louis University. After returning to St. Louis from service as an Army captain in the Pacific during World War II, he received his J.D. degree from Washington University School of Law, where he served as president of Phi Delta Phi.
Over his nearly 60 years of legal practice, Mr. Badaracco was an associate with various St. Louis law firms, most recently "of counsel" to Bertram, Peper and Hier from 1996 until his retirement in 2004.He was an active member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and other bar associations.
From 1967 to 1969, Mr. Badaracco served as alderman representing the 16th Ward of St. Louis. In 1969 and again in 1971, he was elected president of the board of aldermen, a post he held until 1975. In 1976, he was the Republican candidate for U.S. Representative for the Third District, but lost to Richard A. Gephardt.
Mr. Badaracco was the husband of Mary Ellen (nee O'Herin) and of the late Valeria (nee Ravarino); father of Joseph L. (Patricia O'Brien) Badaracco Jr., James Badaracco, Carla (Lee) Haner, and Laura (Bill) Amend; grandfather of eight; brother of Helen Marie Ravarino and Mary Catherine Ciarniello; cousin, uncle and friend to many.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m., at Annunciation Catholic Church, 12 W. Glendale. Interment, Resurrection Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Independence Center, 4380 W. Pine, St. Louis, Mo. 63108.
Laura Elizabeth Baker-Hall of Los Altos, Calif., formerly of Kirkwood died Tuesday, June 28, 2005.
Ms. Baker-Hall was the wife of W. Earl Hall Jr.; stepmother of Alicia and Kimberly Hall, and mentor of Paula Shaw. In Kirkwood, she is survived by her parents, Joseph W. and Margaret Rountree Baker; brother John T. Baker; sister-in-law Susan K. Hume, and nephews Simon and Avery Baker.
Ms. Baker-Hall was born in Charleston, W. Va., on April 21, 1954. She grew up in Kirkwood and graduated from Kirkwood High School in 1972. She graduated from Duke University, summa cum laude, and completed postgraduate work in mathematics at Harvard University.
She began her professional career at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, continued as an engineer at Systems Control, Inc., and later was vice president of communications with Envirotest, Inc., and the Entrepreneur's Foundation, a philanthropic organization sponsored by the Mayfield Venture Fund.
Ms. Baker-Hall was active in Christ Episcopal Church in Los Altos, serving on the vestry, as senior warden and as finance chairperson responsible for the church budget and funding of new initiatives, including the Ventana School.
A memorial service was held at Christ Episcopal Church on June 30. Memorials may be made to the Ventana School, Christ Episcopal Church, 1040 Border Road, Los Altos, Calf., 94024-4726.
Eric Foster of Webster Groves died Friday, July 23, of stroke complications from chemotherapy. He was seven years old.
In 2002, Eric was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Surgeons at St. Louis Children's Hospital operated to remove the tumor immediately after the diagnosis. Eric then underwent rounds of chemotherapy and physical therapy.
While he was in the hospital, students from his class at Webster Hills United Methodist Church Preschool kept in touch with cards and presents. In November of that year, the preschool dedicated its annual Harvest Fest to Eric.
In September 2003, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro St. Louis granted Eric's wish of a playground for his backyard, which he called the Chocolate Rainbow Playground.
In honor of the event, Mayor Gerry Welch declared Sept. 13, 2003, Eric Foster Day in Webster Groves. Last year, Eric attended kindergarten at Bristol Elementary School.
He is survived by his mother, Rosalinda (Roz) Foster; his father, Doug Foster; and his brother, Elliot, who is four-and-one-half years old.
There will be two memorial services for Eric. On Friday, July 30, at 4 p.m., there will be a service in the auditorium of St. Louis Children's Hospital. On Friday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m., services will be held at First Unitarian Church, 5007 Waterman Blvd. at Kingshighway.
Peter Di Stefano, formerly of Kirkwood, died Tuesday, July 27, 2004.
Mr. Di Stefano was the husband of Beverly Di Stefano; father of JoAnn (Terry) Rasch, Suzanne Tayon, Patty Di Stefano and Peter (Debra) Di Stefano; grandfather of six; brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend.
A memorial service will be held Friday, July 30, 7 p.m., at Forever Oak Hill Funeral Home, 10301 Big Bend Blvd. (I-44 and Big Bend). Visitation will be held Friday at 3 p.m., until the time of service.
