James A. Trantham Sr., 84, of Cahokia, died at his home, on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. He was born Sept. 21, 1925 in Springfield, Mo., to the late Charles and Louise (nee Rhodes) Trantham. He graduated from Soldan High School in East St. Louis in 1943. He was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served on the Destroyer USS Murphy DD603 and garnered several medals for his active duty and bravery. After his naval service, James worked and later retired from Switzer Licorice as a journeyman machinist. He also attended and worked at New Testament Baptist Church. James was an avid gardener, fisher and devoted family man who loved spending time with his loved ones. He developed a strong Christian faith and was baptized in 1966. He became a member of New Testament Baptist Church in Cahokia and later Waterloo where he taught Sunday school, served as deacon and led a bus and prison ministry for many years. Mr. Trantham is survived by his wife of 62 years, Helen (nee Moore) Trantham of Cahokia; Charles Trantham of St Louis, Helen (Den) Boyer of Columbia and Jim (Rita) Trantham of Waterloo; grandchildren Jeff (Stacy) Boyer, Brian (Dawn) Boyer, Ron (Mary Ellen) Boyer, Christine Hinkle, Kathy (Zack) Hopkins, Jennifer (Charlie) Kujawski and Andi Trantham; great-grandchildren Ronnie, Dakota, Layne, Samantha and Hanna Boyer; and siblings Elizabeth Oppermann, Dot Shownes, Pat Miller and John Trantham. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings, Fred Trantham and Betsy Rawie. Visitation is Monday, June 14, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Tuesday, 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at the First Baptist Church of Waterloo. A funeral will immediately follow the visitation on Tuesday at the church. Mr. Trantham will be buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis. Memorials may be made to Unity Hospice or New Testament Baptist Church of Waterloo.
Hildagard S. Schneider, nee Faust, 86, of St. Louis, Mo., formerly of Columbia, died June 10, 2010 in St. Louis. She was born Dec. 14, 1923, the daughter of the late George and Sophia (nee Thoma) Faust. She married Sylvester Schneider in 1955. He died in 1973. Mrs. Schneider is survived by her daughters, Kathleen (Cliff) Stebe of St. Louis and Kay (Ron) Reilly of Columbia; a son, Kenneth (Jan) Schneider of O’Fallon, Mo.; and grandchildren Kristi (Mike) Weiss, Renee (Steve) Doyle D.M. D., Douglas Reilly and Brad and Cory Schneider; along with brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Schneider was preceded in death by her brothers Herman, Walter, Edwin and Raymond Faust. Visitation is Sunday, June 13, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Lawlor Funeral Home. A funeral mass is Monday, June 14, at 10 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Columbia with Father Carl Scherrer officiating. Mrs. Schneider will be buried at the church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Anthony’s Hospice.
Mildred L. Schmitz, nee Prince, 92, of Ruma, died June 10, 2010 in Red Bud. She was born June 22, 1917, the daughter of the late George and Margaret Caroline (nee Wells) Prince. Mrs. Schmitz is survived by her daughter, Frances (James) Novak; granddaughter, Stephanie (Jerry) Koester; great-grandchildren Jonathan Koester and Samantha Koester; and a friend, Ramona Kezely; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Oscar “Pat” Schmitz. Mrs. Schmitz was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church of Renault and American Legion Auxiliary Unit Post 1215. Visitation is Friday, June 11, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral Mass is Saturday, June 12, 10 a.m. at her church with Father Roger Karban officiating. Mrs. Schmitz will be buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery in Waterloo. Memorials may be made to masses at her church or to the American Diabetes Association.
Roland C. Schmidt, 91, of Columbia, died June 12, 2010 at Oak Hill Care Center in Waterloo. He was born Sept. 4, 1918, in Columbia, the son of the late Richard and Clara (Wenkel) Schmidt. He married Esther (Mehrtens) Schmidt in 1949 in Columbia. In addition to his wife, Mr. Schmidt is survived by a daughter, Angela (Michael) Buchana of Columbia; son, Aaron Schmidt of Columbia; grandchildren LeAnn (Matthew) Wilke, Chelsea Sackman, Molly Buchana, Haley Buchana, Angela Schmidt and Cierra Smith; and a great-grandchild, Jackson Lawal. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Wilke. Mr. Schmidt was a decorated Army veteran of World War II. He retired as an electrician with Midwest Rubber in Sauget. Visitation is Tuesday, June 15, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at Lawlor Funeral Home. A funeral will immediately follow with Pastor Bob Goddard officiating. Mr. Schmidt will be buried at the Evangelical St. Paul Cemetery in Columbia. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association of St. Louis.
James Ruble Crutchfield, 96, of Waterloo, died Dec. 25, 2008, in Waterloo. He was born March 9, 1912, in Wingo, Ky., the son of the late Henry and Susan May (nee Hamilton) Crutchfield. Mr. Crutchfield is survived by his wife, Dorothy Crutchfield, nee Criswell; a son, David Crutchfield of Waterloo; grandchildren Andrew "A.J." Crutchfield and Alyson Crutchfield; a nephew, Richard (Pat) Potts of Lexington, Ky.; and great-nephews Richard "Chip" Potts and Jonathan Potts. He was preceded in death by a brother, Wallace Crutchfield; and sisters Elizabeth Lyon, Virginia Potts and Rebecca Hooker. After he completed high school he served as a principal of a junior high in Golden Pond, Ky. He then entered the Signal Corps and served for 36 months stationed in the China Burma India Theater of World War II. Following the war, he graduated from Murray State University, attended graduate school at the University of Illinois and received his Master's Degree in agriculture education from the University of Kentucky. He retired from the Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington, Ky. Mr. Crutchfield was a member of several education related organizations. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Ky., before he and his wife of 51 years moved to Waterloo in 2001, where they joined St. Paul UCC. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at St. Paul UCC of Waterloo, Pastor Mary Beth Hartenstein officiating. Mr. Crutchfield was buried at Kolmer Memorial Cemetery in Waterloo. Memorials may be made to St. Paul UCC of Waterloo, Oak Hill or Heartland Hospice of Fairview Heights.
Jeanette Hilda Raeber, 81, of Waterloo, formerly of Columbia, died Dec. 25, 2008, at Oak Hill Care Center in Waterloo. She was born Jan. 21, 1927 in the Sugarloaf Township, the daughter of the late Irwin and Sadie (nee Keller) Raeber. She was also preceded in death by a brother, Allen Raeber; and a sister, Ruth Keim. Survivors include sisters Mildred Zavadil, Fern Ruth, JoAnn (Robert) Crowe and Betty (Thomas) Pierson; along with nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, other relatives and friends. A private funeral service was held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbia, Pastor Steven Theiss officiating. Strauss-Leesman Funeral Home in Millstadt handled the arrangements. She was buried at Holy Cross Lutheran Church Cemetery, Sugarloaf Township. Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Columbia's Building Fund.
Cletis Elledge, 81, of Waterloo, died Dec. 23, 2008, in Columbia. He was born Sept. 17, 1927, in Dongola, Mo., the son of the late Jacob Sampson and Rose Adeline (nee Fowler) Elledge. Mr. Elledge is survived by his wife, Laura Elledge; children Ronald (Gail) Elledge of Waterloo, Katheryn (Frank Jr.) Weber of Waterloo and Jeffrey (Linda) Elledge of Columbia; grandchildren Ronald Elledge Jr., Heath Elledge, Frank (Lauren) Weber III, Jennifer (Aaron) Lich and Meghan Elledge; great-grandchildren Lucy Weber and Gavin Lich; and a sister, Sybil Bushart of Glen Carbon. He was preceded in death by five sisters and seven brothers. Mr. Elledge was members of the Disabled U.S. Navy Veterans, Gothic Lodge 852 of Fairview Heights and a 32nd Degree Mason. Visitation and funeral were at Quernheim's, Pastor David Eckstadt officiating. Mr. Elledge was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo. Memorials may be made to the Veterans Administration.
Billie Leone, nee Wessler, 82, of Columbia, died Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008, at her residence following an extended illness. She was born Nov. 1, 1926 in St. Louis, Mo., the daughter of the late William and Clara (nee Nerzinger) Wessler. She was married to Nick Leone, who had passed away in 1986. Mrs. Leone is survived by her children Claire (Mike) Dennison of Mulberry Grove, Nick (Mary) Leone of Granite City, William (Patricia) Leone of Arnold, Mo., Mary (Steve) Harrison of Columbia and Angela (Peter) Grimes of Biloxi, Miss.; 13 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren; along with other relatives and friends. She preceded in death by her brothers Warren and Quenton Wessler; and sisters, Marcella Birney and Zoe Nottlebrock. Mrs. Leone enjoyed reading and was a retired switchboard operator with Southwestern Bell in St. Louis, Mo. Private family services were held according to her wishes. She was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo. Arrangements were handled by Lawlor Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Margaret Reitz, nee Mate, 86, of Waterloo, died Dec. 17, 2008. She was born Sept. 3, 1922 in Chicago, the daughter of the late Louis and Sophie (nee Ladi) Mate. Mrs. Reitz is survived by her children Leslie (Glen) Allie of Worthington, Ohio, Lynn (Bradford) Horky of San Antonio, Tex., Louis Reitz of Columbia, Leroy (Donna) Reitz of Red Bud, Lowell (Jeanie) Reitz of Waterloo, Lora (John) Barnhart of Belleville and Leise (Christopher) Amann of Red Bud; along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Roger Reitz OD; and a sister, Irene Waitkus. Mrs. Reitz was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Church, American Legion Posts of Columbia and Waterloo and the Waterloo Senior Center. Visitation was at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Waterloo, with Father Osang Idagbo officiating. She was buried at the church's cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
Donna Marie Carter, 45, of Dupo died Jan. 10, 2009, at Memorial Hospital in Belleville. She was born Aug. 29, 1963, in Centreville, the daughter of the late Wallace Reid and Beddie Lucille Crippen, nee Byrd. She was the wife of Jamie Carter, who survives. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Carter is survived by a daughter, Alexandra Nicole Carter; a son, Derek James Carter; brothers Bernie (Jean) Daugherty, Bill Daugherty and Bruce (Karen) Stone; and sisters Barb Coonce, Beverly (Lee) Asher, Bonnie (Kenney) Hamontree and Connie Crippen; along with nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. Mrs. Carter was a secretary for Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance and a member of Gateway Baptist Church in Millstadt. Visitation and funeral were at the First Baptist Church in Dupo, the Rev. Mark Howell officiating. Burial was at Evergreen Cemetery in Chester. Dashner-Leesman Funeral Home handled the arrangements. Memorials may be made to the Mid-America Transplant Services in St. Louis, Mo.
