Clarence Davis Sr., a World War II veteran, died from complications of COVID-19 at St. Louis University Hospital on November 20, 2020 at the age of 97.
During World War II, Clarence served in the U.S. Navy, achieving the rank of Carpenters Mate Second Class; he was among the first Black enlisted men to attain this designation. He was also a Freemason, a Boy Scout Leader, and an active member of the VFW. After WWII, Clarence worked a variety of jobs before retiring from the Records Management Department at Monsanto. He always loved carpentry, and was known and respected for his skill across St. Louis City and County. Clarence also loved gardening (especially roses), watching baseball, bowling, and keeping active with church activities (St. Johns Church). He was a devoted husband and father, and contributed to the development of countless children and teenagers in the community.
Clarence Davis Sr. is missed deeply by his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, extended family, church family, and those in the St. Louis community fortunate enough to know him.
Richard “Dick” Mintzlaff died of COVID-19 on November 11, 2020 at the age of 77.
Dick worked with the St. Louis ARC for over 25 years, was an avid participant in community theater and Renaissance Faires, and did his best to live by his morals. He was also very active at his church (Zion Lutheran Church in Maryland Heights) writing Sunday school curriculum, singing in the choir, serving as an elder, and helping out in countless other ways. He would give the shirt off his back to help someone in need, and he’s remembered as being inclusive and welcoming to new people in his social and work spheres. Dic loved being a husband to his late wife and a father to his two girls more than anything.
Richard Mintzlaff is missed deeply by his two daughters, family, all the people at the St. Louis ARC whose lives he made brighter, his church family, huge social circles in the Renaissance Faires and St. Louis community theatre groups.
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Thanks to Healthcare Workers Lost to Covid for notifying me of this post on Faces of Covid via Twitter!
Gloria Fay Prince died from COVID-19 related pneumonia on November 29, 2020 at the age of 90. The wonderful staff at The Glen at Aberdeen Heights (in Kirkwood MO) where she lived the last several years were at her side when she passed, so she did not die alone.
Fay was a graduate of Normandy High School where she played field hockey and participated in the modern dance troupe. She married her late husband Jack in 1949 and supported his advertising career as it took them to different cities around the country and they raised their four children. Fay was described as being the “consummate homemaker”: a Girl Scout Leader. church volunteer, with hobbies that included needlepoint, sewing, quilting and cooking.
Gloria Fay Prince is missed deeply by her three surviving children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, friends, and the staff who took such good care of her at the assisted living facility.
John (“Jack”) Doerr of Kirkwood died after a brief battle with COVID-19 on November 27, 2020 at the age of 83.
After serving in the Army as a cook, Jack met his wife at a VW rally in Webster Groves and they raised their two daughters in Kirkwood. Jack worked as a self employed general contractor until he retired, and was living at Friendship Village Sunset Hills for the last few years of his life.
Jack Doerr is missed deeply by his wife of 59 years, his surviving daughter, grand kids, extended family and friends.
Richard Lee Constance died suddenly from complications of COVID-19 on November 23, 2020 at the age of 70.
Richard had just retired in June from a 45+ year career as a personal injury attorney. He and his wife of 43 years loved St. Louis City living, loved being six minutes away from The Cardinals and the basketball SLU Billikens home games, and were active in their neighborhood betterment association. Rick also played golf and tennis, and was an active member of the St. Louis Athletic Club. He’s remembered as being an irreplaceable friend, doting on his nieces and nephews, his warm friendly smile, and how he lived life to its fullest.
Richard Lee Constance is missed deeply by his wife, his father, his brother and his sister, as well as his nieces and nephews, former coworkers, friends, neighborhood friends, community and the many people whose lives he touched.
Helen S. Clark died November 26 from complications of COVID-19 and congestive heart failure at the age of 82.
She graduated from St. Louis City Hospital’s School of Nursing in 1959 and went on to have a long career in nursing, staying involved in the alumni association after retiring. Helen raised her two daughters with her late husband and loved being a grandma. She supported various nonprofits, read voraciously, and played a good game of checkers. Before COVID-19 hit, she was a daily regular at Miss Sheri’s Cafeteria in South County.
Helen Sydow Clark is missed deeply by her two daughters, step sons, grandkids, extended family, and all those who were fortunate to know her.
Delores E. Weekly died of COVID-19 on November 30, 2020 at the age of 91. She lived in Overland MO for most of her life, and was an active member of the Overland Historical Society.
Delores was a skilled quilter and knitter. After retiring from Pet Foods, she sewed gifts for her family and friends, and donated her handcrafts to charities. She loved doing many things, but lunch with friends was her favorite activity of all. Delores was known for her independent, cheerful spirit.
Delores Weekly is missed by her cousins, surrogate family, and her many friends.
R. Richard Straub died of COVID-19 after a brief battle with the virus on November 24, 2020 at the age of 88.
Dick grew up in Webster Groves, graduated with honors from Princeton University, and served as 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. After his time in the military, he moved back to St. Louis and completed his J.D. at Washington University with the Order of the Coif. Dick raised his two girls with his beloved wife while he practiced corporate law at Lewis Rice. At the age of 48 he had a major stroke that paralyzed the left side of his body but fortunately left his sharp mind fully intact. In this early retirement Dick threw himself into volunteering and supporting worthy causes (including providing free legal counsel via SCORE, tutoring children, and helping other stroke victims), living life to the fullest (and still golfing, with the use of only one arm). In 2014 he moved from his home of 50 years to The Gatesworth extended care facility.
R. Richard Straub is missed deeply by his wife of 65 years, his two adult daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family, friends at The Gatesworth, and all who knew him.
Francis Ethel Westfall Crumley of Jerseyville IL died of COVID-19 on November 27, 2020 at the age of 87. She was ill for a little less than three weeks, and it looked like she would pull through and get off the ventilator for a little while, but ultimately her body could not fight off the virus.
Francis was married twice, widowed twice and lost two children; despite heartaches, her life was full and she found beauty and love in the everyday and small things. She always made time to comfort, listen to, and care for others. In her younger years, Francis worked as a packer for Olin Corporation in Alton IL, canned her garden’s vegetables, cooked mouthwatering dinners, and loved to dance.
Francis is missed deeply by her two daughters, 11 grandchildren, 9 great-grandkids, and all those who were blessed to know her.
Robert “Bob” Olsheske died from complications of COVID-19 on November 30, 2020 two days after his 86th birthday. In recent years, due to dementia, he was living at St. Andrews at Francis Place Nursing Home in Eureka where he really loved the staff and other residents.
Bob’s career was in sales, with most of it in the bread business. He distributed Pepperidge Farms, Taystee, and Brownberry at different times. He married his first wife and raised his two kids in Wentzville. After her untimely death, he moved to Florida and remarried. Bob was heavily involved in his church and in giving back to the community, helping to secure funding and mentoring special needs children for Carpenter’s House for Children in Florida. After his second wife passed, he moved back to Wentzville to be close to his adult kids and grandkids. Bob was the last surviving member of his immediate family and truly cherished his children and grandkids.
Bob Olsheske is missed deeply by his two adult children, grand kids, two great-grandchildren, his church family, and all the kids (now grown) who he helped out.
Ellen L. Brasunas died of COVID-19 three days after turning 96 on November 19, 2020.
Ellen was a woman who gave to others and helped them heal. She first worked as a psychiatric nurse, stopping to raise her three children and returning to work as a public health and school nurse once she moved to St. Louis. When she was 52 she went back to graduate school to pursue her passion, counseling, and opened her private practice in 1980. She continued to be active as a therapist, and held her license until at least 2017.
Ellen Brasunas is deeply missed by her 3 adult kids, grandkids, great-great grandkids, extended family, church family at the St. Louis Ethical Society, huge circle of friends, and countless others who she helped out in life.
Victor Cohen passed away from COVID-19 at his home on Monday November 23, 2020 at the age of 64 with his daughter at his side. He had been battling lymphoma since late 2018, went into hospice care, and shortly after lost his life to coronavirus.
Victor loved hockey and real estate, and brought people together over both. Almost 30 years ago he started The Saturday Hockey League and eventually played year round, every Saturday morning. A skilled player and team leader, he had a way of making everyone feel included and liked. As a highly respected real estate agent, most recently leading the Premier Team with Red Key Realty, Victor was in his element helping countless people find their perfect homes.
Victor Cohen is missed deeply by his daughter (his beloved wife died in 2011), his huge circle of friends, Saturday Hockey League teammates, the St. Louis real estate community, and everyone whose lives he touched and brightened even the tiniest bit.
Michelle McCausland (Michael Shreves) died of COVID-19 on November 28, 2020 at the age of 61.
Performing was her life’s true passion, and Michelle was truly a St. Louis entertainment and LGBTQ+ institution. She never made it to Broadway like the fantasies of her youth, instead she created magic and shined bright in St. Louis. Michelle supported friends and strangers alike in their struggles, a trusted and respected pillar of empathy and strength. She loved her fans and community and they loved her back.
In 1986 Michelle successfully sued (via the ACLU) and overturned the St. Louis City’s 150 year old masquerade law (prohibiting drag and crossdressing), which got declared unconstitutional. Her “offense” had been getting arrested at a Washington Avenue bar for cross dressing in 1982. 30 years later in 2012, and after years of being runner-up, Michelle finally achieved her dream of earning the title “Miss Gay Missouri” for her version of the Broadway hit “Anything Goes” (complete with backup dancers and professional choreography).
Michelle McCausland/Michael Shreves is missed by her mother, relatives, huge family of friends, the St. Louis’s LGBTQ+ community, and by all her thousands of fans and supporters.
As word got at the end of the Thanksgiving 2020 weekend, tributes more eloquent than this writing were posted to news outlets and social media.
Reports are pouring in that we've lost Michelle McCausland. RIP to a true entertainer and advocate. Michael Shreves successfully fought and defeated STL's antiquated and bigoted masquerading law banning drag and cross dressing in the 1980s. pic.twitter.com/kzbLo1c2rF
Those in the Missouri gay community know we lost an icon over the weekend. As I explained to a friend yesterday, when the bars were our churches and community centers, Michelle was the choir director. To give this community an idea of who she was…1/5 pic.twitter.com/MG0uKR6lD2
Tonight, St. Louis lost an LGBT icon: Miss Gay MO 2012 Michelle McCausland. Not only was she a staple of St. Louis Drag culture, she was an integral part of the Mandrake Society, St. Louis' very own Stonewall. Michelle paved the way for our community. Her death is devastating. pic.twitter.com/t99PHxMWuV
Leroy Huskamp of Fairmont City IL died of COVID-19 on November 22 at Granite City Nursing and Rehabilitation at the age of 84.
Leroy is remembered for being a congenial conversationalist who never met a stranger and who could make anyone smile. He loved to go fishing and to spend time with his family.
Leroy Huskamp is missed by his wife, adult children, grandkids, and extended family.
Rose Beatrice “Bea” Gillooly of Ferguson MO died of Covid-19 on November 18, 2020 at the age of 98. She suffered from dementia the past few years, but she still knew and loved her family.
Bea was a woman ahead of her time, encouraged by her husband Dick (who was accomplished in the field of space exploration at McDonnell Douglas). Bea learned about the stock market and investing in a progressive women’s group after Dick opened a checking account in her name (at a time when women could not open accounts on their own). She was paid a salary to be a homemaker because her late husband also recognized that caregiving and housekeeping is a valuable service too often (still) uncompensated and unacknowledged.
Her obituary briefly attempts to summarize Bea’s fascinating life: “Bea’s two passions in life were traveling and reading. Beginning in 1968, and as often as she could, she traveled the world. She visited multiple countries on six continents, taking photos whenever possible. Reminiscing of those trips when viewing photos brought her great joy over the years. In her early St. Louis years, Bea joined a women’s book group and continued to meet monthly to discuss books, politics, and current events for over 50 years. In addition to raising 10 children, Bea was an active volunteer. She started a rental book system at Sts. John and James allowing families to pay a small annual fee to borrow books for the school year and not have to purchase new sets for their children each year. She was involved in The Experiment in International Living, allowing children and students from other countries to temporarily live with host families in the St. Louis area. She went on to become a board member of that group as well as a docent for the First Street Forum, a contemporary art gallery. She was also involved as a volunteer for the ScholarShop for many years.”
Even later in life, Bea was engaged and active volunteering and learning new things. She had an email address early on, and used the internet for research. Bea kept abreast of politics, voting in the 2016 election. She was a proud progressive Democrat and fan of Rachel Maddow.
Her family’s statement reads: “Many of her children would have been with her in the end if she hadn’t been isolated in a Covid 19 ward for her last two weeks. We hold the Trump administration directly responsible for robbing us of the opportunity of saying goodbye to our mother.”
Bea Gillooly is missed deeply by her nine surviving children, numerous grand and great grandchildren, her wide circle of friends and acquaintances, and the many people who she inspired and helped lift up.
Michael Madison of Freeburg IL died of COVID-19 complications at the age of 68 on November 16, 2020. His wife Connie got to go into his room, hold his hand, and say goodbye to him at Belleville Memorial Hospital, as her mother continues to fight coronavirus (but as of this writing is still alive).
Michael was enjoying retirement with his adoring wife of 8 years, and finally getting to take a break from working so hard his whole life. He served in the US Military and his faith was important to his personal strength and life.
Michael Madison is missed deeply by his wife, his son, grandchildren, extended family and circle of friends.
Thomas Eise of St. Ann, MO died of COVID-19 on November 12, 2020 at the age of 67. He went in for a knee replacement, developed cellulitis, and then coronavirus. He supported the shutdowns to flatten the curve, socially distanced, wore a mask… and despite taking every precaution, he still caught COVID-19.
Tom was a hard working man who was fiercely loyal to his family and friends. He was empathetic, a listening ear when you needed one, and raised his step daughters as his own.
in April, 2020 Tom wrote the following poem which one of his daughters shared with the message:
“We lost my dad to COVID this last week. He was careful, he supported the lockdowns and mandates, but too many around him didn’t. He went in for a knee replacement and developed cellulitis. They sent him home on a Wednesday (I picked him up) and he barely made it inside. We assumed that it was pain and such. 36 hours later he was taken back to the ER by ambulance. He was hallucinating and a mess. His oxygen was in the 60s. They then decided to test for Covid. Next day ventilator, next day chemical paralysis- and he was not able to recover. He was 67He (Tom Eise) wrote this poem back in April.””
I don't want to get ill or die
Cant you just please comply
I'm a person and have a name.
To you this is an inconvenience, a game
I'm an artist, a singer.
I'm your postman or pick up
your trash.
I'm a doctor, intern or nurse.
I'm young and quiet. I'm old
and brash
I'm your neighbor, the grandmother
up the street.
I'm the towtruck driver, I
pour concrete
You Know me
I don't want to get ill or die
Can't you just please comply
Thomas Eise is missed deeply by his partner in life, Mary Jo Purcell, a son and daughter, two step-daughters, grandchildren, six siblings, and a host of friends.
Richard Schweigler died of COVID-19 on November 16, 2020 at the age of 86 alone except for the hospital chaplain at his side.
Richard was born and raised in St. Louis and retired after 35 years as a civil engineer for the Missouri Highway Department; but his true passion was hockey and sports. He worked St. Louis Blues games as an off-ice official since the team’s inception in 1967 until 1994, most of that time as a goal judge. He also played hockey himself, coached and refereed. Richard also played minor league baseball, coached baseball and umpired men’s softball.
Richard Schweigler is missed deeply by his wife of 67 years, adult kids, grandchildren, extended family, team mates and sports friends, and everyone who was fortunate enough to know him.
Barbara Ann Molloy died after a brief battle with COVID-19 on November 10, 2020 at OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center in Alton IL at the age of 80.
Barbara worked for many years as a nursing home administrator and was known as a cheerful caring person with an infectious laugh who never met a stranger. She loved telling a good story and bringing a smile to peoples’ faces. Together with her late husband, Barbara raised their four children.
Barbara Molloy is missed deeply by two daughters, two granddaughters, extended family, former work friends, and everyone whose life she made a little better.
In Barb’s honor, her family urges continued social distancing and mask compliance.
Beverly Lynn Long of Godfrey IL died from COVID-19 after a month-long battle on November 13, 2020 at the age of 65.
Beverly retired from a dedicated career as a manager at the IRS, where she helped and mentored her team to do their best. She was enjoying retirement with her husband of 45 years and spending more time with their grandkids. She’s remembered for being sweet but strong.
Beverly Lynn Long is missed deeply by her mother, husband, three daughters, grandkids, extended family and many friends.
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