Ruth Pieper, nee Ruff, 92, of Waterloo, died March 9, 2009, in Waterloo. She was born July 29, 1916, in Monroe County, the daughter of the late William and Clara (nee Boehne) Ruff. Mrs. Pieper is survived by her daughter, Nina (Morris) Binder of Waterloo; grandchildren, William Binder of Virginia Beach, Va., Jonathan (Catherine) Binder of High Point, NC., and Elizabeth Binder of New York, NY.; a great-grandson, Jacob Binder; and sisters-in-law, Lil Ruff, Marcella Pieper and Leona Ziegler; along with nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lilbert Pieper; brothers Richard and Vernon Ruff; and sisters Luella Thorburg, Esther Wuertz and Glades Sparwasser. Visitation and funeral were at Quernheim Funeral Home, Pastor Tony Troup officiating. Mrs. Pieper was buried at St. Trinity Cemetery in Mehlville, Mo. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church of Waterloo or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Zilka Naomi Shoptaw, nee Martin, 80, of Waterloo, died March 9, 2009, in Waterloo. She was born April 13, 1928 in Granite City, the daughter of the late Floyd Arthur and Hattie Lena (nee Blythe) Martin. Mrs. Shoptaw is survived by her husband, Raymond Shoptaw; children Alan Shoptaw (special friend Jeanie Brooks); Becky "DeDe" Snell (special friend Bill Schaefer) and Susan (Thomas) Schmitt; grandchildren Angela Rigdon, Hugh (Gwen) Snell Jr., Brian Schmitt and Jennifer (Tyson) Phillips; great-grandchildren Ezra, Dalton, Kaitlyn, Sophia, Olivia, Blane and Nolan; sisters Verna Shields and Sherry Travis; a brother, Larry (Barbara) Travis; sister-in-law Karen Travis and Barbara Schroeder; and good friend Loretta Bohnenstiehl; along with brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her brothers Paul, Roy and Jimmy Travis. . She was a member of St. Labre Indian School for Children and was an honorary member of American Veterans. Visitation and funeral were at Quernheim Funeral Home, with Pastor Steve Neill officiating. She was buried at Buckroad Cemetery in Maryville. Memorials may be made to St. Labre School for Children or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Joseph Wilson, 34, of rural Waterloo, died March 12, 2009, at his residence. He was born Jan. 26, 1975, in Red Bud. Mr. Wilson is survived by his mother, Patricia (nee Doyle); and siblings J. Clifford (Geri) Wilson Jr. of Washington, Mo., Ben Wilson of Red Bud, Cherie (Steve) Zerwig of Ste. Genevieve, Mo., and Polly (Craig) Muehlberg of Waterloo; along with aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death his father, James Wilson; his grandparents; and aunts and uncles. Visitation was Sunday, March 15 at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral was Monday, March 16 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tipton with Father Don Blaes officiating. Mr. Wilson was buried the church's cemetery. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association.
Peter Engbring, 60, of Alto Pass, died March 11, 2009, at his residence. He was born Oct. 3, 1948 in Montgomery, Ala., the son of Jerome and Lucy (nee Martino) Engbring of Valmeyer. He married Gina Barringer on July 28, 1973 in Carbondale. In addition to his parents and wife, Mr. Engbring is survived by his daughters, Sara Elizabeth Engbring of Carbondale and Mary Katherine "Katie" Engbring of San Diego, Calif.; siblings John (Teri) Engbring of Davis, Calif., Tim Engbring of Maeystown, Jeff (Rita) Engbring of Cobden, Paul (Grace) Engbring of Telluride, Colo., Miguel (Kathi) Engbring of Cave-In-Rock, Mary (Jim) Estep of Sacramento, Calif., Tom (Katherine) Engbring of Camden, NC., Susan Engbring of San Diego, Calif., Jim Engbring of Phoenix, Ariz., and Charlie Engbring of Arlington, Va.; and in-laws Joe and Mary Barringer of Carbondale; along with other relatives and many friends. Mr. Engbring graduated in 1966 from West Bend High School in West Bend, Wisc. He then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1970. He graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1975 with a degree in zoology, where he was a founding member of the Zoology Honor Society. He was also a member of Tau Beta Pi, a national engineering honor society. Mr. Engbring was employed as the chief operator at Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plant and Southern Engineering in Carbondale, along with the Anna Wastewater Treatment Plant. Mr. Engbring enjoyed fishing, camping and extensively traveling throughout the country. There was no visitation. A memorial gathering for family and friends will be held June 14 in Alto Pass. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois. Funeral arrangements were handled by Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Anna.
Patricia Ann Bertrand, 54, of Columbia, died March 28, 2009. She was born Aug. 17, 1954, in St. Louis, Mo. She married Steve A. Smith in 1989 in Columbia. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Bertrand is survived by her mother, Myrtle Bertrand of Herculaneum, Mo.; brother, Charles (Jean) Bertrand of Arnold, Mo.; in-laws Russell and Lucinda Smith of Columbia; sister-in-law, Sandy (David) Berg of Maeystown; and brother-in-law, Bob (Sue) Taylor of Valmeyer; along with other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her father, Warren Bertrand. Mrs. Bertrand was a lifelong teacher, she worked in the public schools and was part of the adjunct faculty at Southwestern Illinois College. She founded Personal Best Software and PC Support and the Professional Women's Leads Team. Mrs. Bertrand was also employed by Monsanto, KTVI/Fox2 and Y98/KEZK radio. She was a member of the International Association of Administrative Professionals and in 2002 was named to the Coro Women in Leadership. Mrs. Bertrand enjoyed cooking, gardening, rescuing cats and spending time with her family and friends. Visitation is Saturday, April 4, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Lawlor Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., with Fr. Carl Scherrer officiating. Mrs. Bertrand was cremated according to her wishes. Memorials may be made to the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club in St. Louis, Mo., or the Humane Society of Monroe County.
Amanda Goss, 100, of Waterloo, died March 17, 2009 at Oak Hill Care Center in Waterloo. She was born June 5, 1908, in Waterloo, the daughter of the late Christian and Elizabeth (nee Heusohn) Illert. She married Herbert Goss in 1929. He died in 1973. Mrs. Goss is survived by her children Darlene (Harold) Devenport of Columbia, Marion (Roland) Goeddel of Waterloo, Alvera Rodenberg of Riverview, Fla., and Leroy (Dorothy) Goss of Valmeyer; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Edna Branton of Tuscaloosa, Ala. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Jeannette Fabish; brothers Albert, Leroy and Cornelius Illert; and a sister, Lorena Cookson. She was a member of the St. Paul UCC of Columbia Womens' Club and Quilters' Club, Columbia Senior Citizens and Quad Drill Square Dancers of Waterloo. Visitation and funeral were at Lawlor Funeral Home with Pastor Bob Goddard officiating. Mrs. Goss was buried at Evangelical St. Paul Cemetery in Columbia. Memorials may be made to St. Paul UCC of Columbia.
Joseph Range, 83, of Columbia, died March 17, 2009, at Barnes-Jewish Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo. He was born June 25, 1925, in Cahokia, the son of the late Joseph and Emma (nee Levin) Range. He married Patricia (nee Crawford) Range in 1946 in Cahokia. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Joseph (Joyce) Range of Jonesboro, Ark., Victoria Vogt of Aurora, Col., Terry (Sharon) Range of Waterloo, James (Penny) Range of Rock Wall, Tex., Jamie (Kevin) Andres of Bonne Terre, Mo., and Joan (Brian) Stemler of Columbia; sisters, Gertude Doerr of Woodriver and Doris Tolbird of Columbia; 14 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren; along with other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by a son, David Range; sister, Ermantine Gruninger; and brothers Kenneth, Theodore, Paul, and Virgil Range. He was a farmer and a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Columbia. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time with his family. Visitation was at Lawlor Funeral Home. Funeral was at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Columbia, Illinois with Fr. Carl Scherrer officiating. He was buried at the church's cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Immaculate Conception Church Building Fund.
Chester Hemme Jr., 66, of Waterloo, died March 18, 2009. He was born Aug. 30, 1942, in St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Hemme is survived by his mother, Mary (nee Moll) Hemme-Kassel; sisters Helen (Kenneth) Horn and Lois (Albert) Mohlman; and a brother, Dale Hemmer; along with aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Chester W. Hemme Sr.; and two step-fathers. Mr. Hemme was a member of Human Support Services of Waterloo. Visitation and funeral were at Quernheim Funeral Home with Patrick Poole officiating. Mr. Hemme was buried at Zion UCC Cemetery in St. Joe. Memorials may be made to Human Support Services - Waterloo, or Monroe County Council for the Handicapped
Luella Russell, nee Kuergeleis, 87, of Valmeyer, died March 18, 2009, in Red Bud. She was born Nov. 1, 1921, in Maeystown, the daughter of the late Fred and Anna (nee Mueller) Kuergeleis. Mrs. Russell is survived by a daughter, Bobbie Russell; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Russell. Mrs. Russell was a member of the Valmeyer American Legion Auxiliary and St. John UCC of Valmeyer's Women's Fellowship. She served as a Sunday school teacher at her church for 40 years. Visitation and funeral were at Quernheim Funeral Home with Pastor David Riebeling officiating. Mrs. Russell was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo.
Delbert Koch, 81, of Columbia, died March 20, 2009, at Memorial Hospital in Belleville. He was born Feb. 13, 1928, in Fults, the son of the late Fred and Maria (Schmidt) Koch. He married the late Alvira (Mehrtens) Koch in 1953 in New Hanover. Mr. Koch is survived by his son, Rev. Robert (Catherine) Koch of New Athens; a daughter, Diane (Myron) Hanna of Columbia; grandchildren William Koch, Elizabeth Koch, Allison Hanna and Steven Hanna; and sisters-in-law Eleanora Faust of Columbia and Eileen Hoerr of Waterloo; along with other relatives and friends. In addition to his wife, Mr. Koch was preceded in death by his sisters Esther Giffhorn and Frieda Rippel-meyer; and brothers George Hoerr and Raymond Koch. He was a retired electrician having worked at Ameren U.E. in St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Koch was a member of St. Paul UCC of Columbia and Columbia Sister Cities Program. Visitation was at Lawlor Funeral Home in Columbia. Funeral was at St. Paul UCC of Columbia, Pastor Bob Goddard officiating. Mr. Koch was buried at the Evangelical St. Paul Cemetery in Columbia. Memorials may be made to his church, the ALS Association of St. Louis or St. John U.C.C. of New Athens.
