Frieda Voelker nee Mueller, 88, of Maeystown, died April 24, 2008, in St. Louis. She was born June 23, 1919, in Maeystown, the daughter of the late George and Maria Mueller nee Bertram. She was married to the late Harold Voelker. Mrs. Voelker is survived by her son Glenn (Nancy) Voelker of Maeystown; grandchildren Chris (Kristine) Voelker of Maeystown, Aaron (Sherri) Voelker of Waterloo, and Renee Voelker of Columbia; great-granddaughter Markee Voelker; sisters Marie (Wilbert) Voelker of Waterloo, and Ruth Fehrenz of Columbia; brother Milton (Florence) Mueller of Waterloo; and sister-in-law Ada Mueller of Waterloo; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother Floyd Mueller, sister Elizabeth (Geno) Scariot, and brother-in-law Oliver Fehrenz. Mrs. Voelker was a member of St. John United Church of Christ of Maeystown. She was an avid kloepper player and was known as "Grandma" to many. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. A funeral service was at St. John UCC of Maeystown, Pastor Patrick Poole officiating. She is buried at the church's cemetery. Memorials may be made to the St. John UCC of Maeystown Cemetery Asphalt Fund.
Erma Louise Leveling, 82, died April 26, 2008. She was born Aug. 8, 1925. She was married to the late Al Leveling. Mrs. Leveling is survived by her sons David "Porter" Leveling of Millstadt and Tom "Allen" (Pat) Leveling of Trenton; grandchildren Katie Leveling, Thomas (Ruth) Leveling Jr. and Traci (Scott) Cocker; great-grandchildren Katrina Leveling, Aaron Leveling and Christopher Cocker; sister Shirley Baltz of Millstadt; and special friends Cheri, Miramonti, Savanah and Jake Roesch, and Brenden and Donovan Bulger; along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her mother and step-father Edith Beard and Marshall Beard, and husband. Visitation and a funeral were at Dashner-Strauss Funeral Home in Millstadt. She is buried at Mt. Evergreen Cemetery in Millstadt. Memorials may be made to the hospice of choice.
Erika St. Arbor, 22, of Millstadt, died April 26, 2008 at Anderson Hospital in Maryville following an automobile accident. She was born April 17, 1986, in Belleville. She is survived by her fiance, Kristofer Hall of Collinsville; his daughter, Jaylnn Hall; parents, Brian and Tammie, nee St. Arbor, Heet of Millstadt; brother, Zachary Heet of Millstadt; maternal grandmother, Martha (Carl) Gallion of Cahokia; maternal grandfather, Kenneth (Juanita) St. Arbor of Burksville; paternal grandparents Gregory and Barbara Heet of Shiloh, Ill; and special aunt, Michelle (Richard) Rist of Millstadt; along with other aunts and uncles, cousins and friends. She was a 2004 graduate of Gibault Catholic High School in Waterloo was an early childhood development student at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, scheduled to graduate May 10, 2008. She was employed at Lighthouse Day Care Center in Columbia. Miss St. Arbor was a member of St. James Catholic Church in Millstadt. Visitation was at George Renner and Sons Funeral Home in Belleville. Funeral service was at St. James Catholic Church in Millstadt, with Monsignor Marvin Volk officiating. She is buried at Green Mount Catholic Cemetery in Belleville. Memorials may be made to the SIUE Foundation.
Joyce Ann Foster nee Ring, 77, of Waterloo, died April 26, 2008, in Waterloo. She was born Oct. 31, 1930, in St. Louis, the daughter of the late Herbert and Virginia Ring. She was married to the late William Foster. Mrs. Foster is survived by her children Vickie (Chuck) Cobillas of Millstadt, Jeannie (John) Moravec of Dupo, and Lisa (Dan) McCann of Waterloo; grandchildren William (Heather) Cobillas, Angela (James) Austin, Daniel Cobillas, Meghan (Chad Frierdich) Moravec, Jamie Moravec, Tyler Moravec, Luke Moravec, Justin McCann, Jordan McCann and Jessica McCann; great-grandchildren Cassidy, Samantha and Aiden; along with nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Mrs. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister Jean Hunt and brother Jack Ring. Mrs. Foster was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo. Visitation and a funeral service were at Braun Colonial Funeral Home in Cahokia, Fr. David Darin officiating. She is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
John P. Todd, 69, of Geff, died April 28, 2008, in Flora. He was born Sept. 12, 1938, in Vineland, Mo., the son of the late Paul Charles and Helen Todd nee Yarbrough. He was married to Shirley Todd nee Newton. Mr. Todd is survived his wife; children Cindy (Tim) Hickerson of Knoxville, Tenn., Paula (Ben) Akin of Algonquin, and Carla Johnson of Glen Carbon; grandchildren Ellen Akin, Larenzo Johnson, Jonathan Hickerson, LaKesha Johnson, Jessica Hickerson, Zeana Johnson, Zelman Johnson and Hannah Hickerson; great-grandchild Deamontai Allen; brothers and sisters Donald (Pat) Todd of Doe Run, Mo., Joyce (Marvin) Gruber of Waterloo, Tom (Janet) Todd of Waterloo, Sharon (Al) Forrester of Marble Hill, Mo., Ronald (Teresa) Todd of Crocker, Mo., and Pam (Rob) Smith of Devil's Elbow, Mo.; along with sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Wanda Todd nee Bieber, sisters Lois Todd and Carol Todd, and brother Khrist "Butch" Krebel. Visitation and a funeral service were at Quernheim Funeral Home, Pastor Matt Friz officiating. He is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Wanda Braun nee Westbecher, 82, of Red Bud, died April 28, 2008, at Memorial Hospital in Belleville. She was born Nov. 18, 1925 in Walsh, the daughter of the late Donald Holbrook and Elsie Bauman Westbecher. She married Elroy Braun in 1954 at St. Pius Catholic Church in Walsh. He died in 2000. Mrs. Braun was a homemaker, a sales person for W.T. Rawleigh Business and a member of St. John the Baptist Church in Red Bud. She is survived by a son, Dennis (Leanna) Braun of Red Bud; and sisters Patricia (Charles) Stork of Pinckneyville and Mary (Clarence) Tackett of Shiloh; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Braun was preceded in death by an infant son, Timothy Gerald Braun; and a brother, Robert Westbecher Visitation was at Welge-Pechacek Funeral Home in Red Bud. A funeral service was at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Red Bud. Mrs. Braun is buried at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Fairview Heights. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, Macular Degeneration Foundation or Family Hospice of Belleville.
Henry George Helfrich, 83, of Millstadt, died April 29, 2008, in Waterloo. He was born March 26, 1925, in Paderborn, the son of the late Joseph and Christina Helfrich nee Kettler. He married the late Marcella A. Helfrich nee Hoffman in 1951. Mr. Helfrich is survived by his children Dennis S. Helfrich of Freeburg, Kevin Helfrich of Waterloo, and Dale L. (Lee) Helfrich of Shawnee, Kan.; grandchildren Shawn M. Ditzler, Robert J. Helfrich, Kate Helfrich, Luke Helfrich and Lara Helfrich; great-grandchild Sydney Ditzler; brother Cletus Helfrich of Columbia; along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; daughter Kathleen Helfrich; sisters Cecilia Gasser, Emily Eckert, Agnes Straub, Agatha Muckensturm and Rita Helfrich; and brothers Edward Helfrich, Clarence Helfrich, Anthony Helfrich, Alphonse Helfrich, Gregory Helfrich and Clement Helfrich. Mr. Helfrich was a member of St. James Catholic Church in Millstadt. He was retired from Cerro Copper as a products laborer for 37 years. Visitation was at Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt. A funeral Mass was at St. James Catholic Church in Millstadt, Fr. Marvin Volk officiating. He is buried at Mt. Evergreen Cemetery in Millstadt. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Ola Dell Watkins, nee Helderman, 92, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., died Aug. 3, 2011 in Columbia. She was born Dec. 15, 1918 in Cape Girardeau, the daughter of the late Era and S. Elizabeth (Doggett) Helderman. Mrs. Watkins is survived by her children, Dr. Eugene (Gisela) Watkins, Saundra Voll and Lois (Dr. Donald) McCrosky; grandchildren, Aaron Watkins and Regina Woithe, Scott (Pam) Voll, David (Angela) McCrosky and Laura (Martin) Berkerey; great-grandchildren, Luke Berkerey, Josie Berkerey, Madelyn McCrosky, Audrey McCrosky and Sylvia McCrosky; nephew, Wayne (Georgia) Helderman; great-nephew and great-niece, Clay and Julie; cousins, Clyde (Carolyn) Hawes, Myron and Theresa; and brother-in-law, Joseph Eugene (Isabelle) Watkins, Michael and Gloria. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Henry Watkins; and brothers, Buford and Loy Helderman. Ola was born and raised in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where she attended the First Baptist Church and Lynwood Baptist Church. She had been employed as a shoe salesperson at Seabaughs Shoes and Ossicks Shoes. Ola was known for her home remedies made from wild greens, especially one used in spring to clean the body of poisons collected during the winter. This concoction began being mass-produced in 1988 by Pure Herbs Ltd. And distrusted throughout the U.S. and Canada. Her formulation was so successful, the company provided her a new car every two years. A graveside service was held at the Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau with Pastor Mark Anderson officiating. Memorials may be made to Concord Presbyterian Church in Waterloo.
Russell L. Qualls, 68, of Waterloo, died Aug. 3, 2011 in Waterloo. He was born Feb. 17, 1943 in Grand Tower, the son of the late Rufus Jr. and Margaret (Burke) Qualls. Mr. Qualls is survived by his wife, Sharon (Vincent) Qualls; children, Karen (Jim) Nagel, Berry (Jennifer) Qualls and Jessica (Brandon) Hougas; grandchildren, Dustin Qualls, Danielle Qualls and Jared Nagel; great-grandson, Brayden Qualls; sister, JoAnn (Virgil) Knupp; and brother, Jimmy (Donna) Qualls; along with sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his brother, Eddie Qualls. Mr. Qualls attended First Baptist Church in Waterloo. He was a retired ironworker. Visitation is Saturday, Aug. 6 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at his church. A funeral will immediately follow at the church with Rev. Ed Pikey officiating. Mr. Qualls will be buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois or the First Baptist Church Building Fund.
William "Mac" McMillion, 87, of Columbia, died Aug. 5, 2011, at his residence. He was born March 29, 1924 in Townley, Mo., the son of Peter and Myrtle (Garner) McMillion. He was married Juanita (Sumpter) McMillion in 1944 in St. Louis, Mo. In addition to his wife of 67 years, Mr. McMillion is survived by his children, Willa Bates of Columbia and Gregory (Jeanne) McMillion of Landrum, SC.; grandchildren Alan (Twana L. Mason) Bates, Lindsey (Daniel Steemann) McMillion and Allison Bates; great-grandchildren Tyler M. Bates and Mackenzie Bates; step-grandchildren Michelle Samoryk and Cheryl Hale; sister-in-law, Alma Harris; and brother-in-law, Bill Borders. He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Elizabeth Yvonne Bates Evans; brothers, Norman, Woodrow “Woody”, Henry and Dallas McMillion; a sister, Betty Borders; and step-mother, Bessie McMillion. Mac served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a member of the Columbia American Legion Post 581 and the Columbia Mason’s Blue Lodge 474 A.F. and A.M. Mac retired from Monsanto’s Queenie Plant in 1985 after 40 years of employment. After his retirement, Mac enjoyed sharing sports and other pastimes with his granddaughter, Allison. Visitation is Sunday, Aug. 7, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Lawlor Funeral Home. A private funeral service will be held and Mr. McMillion will be buried at Valhalla Gardens of Memory in Belleville. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois or the Cardinal Glennon Children's Foundation.
