South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Vernon Oswald Hoelscher

Died: Sunday, November 16, 2014

Age: 88

Vernon Oswald Hoelscher died Nov. 16 at the Meramec Bluffs Retirement Center in Ballwin, surrounded by family and under hospice care.

He would have been 89 on Jan. 3.

Mr. Hoelscher lived in south county for almost 60 years and was an active member of St. Johns United Church of Christ.

He was born in Okawville, Ill., a son of Oscar and Mary (nee Brinkman) Hoelscher, and grew up on a farm in Centralia, Ill. Mr. Hoelscher attended classes in a one-room school house until he completed the eighth grade, when his father took him out of school to work on the farm.

Two days after his 19th birthday, he entered the Army. Two months later, his older brother, Virgil, was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. Mr. Hoelscher then received an honorable discharge. In the 18 months he served, he earned the rank of Tech 5 and served as a communications specialist, a military policeman and drove 2.5-ton trucks, transporting cargo and soldiers.

He attended Ranken Trade School and earned certification as a tool room machinist and later became a mold maker making molds for plastic objects. Still desiring a high school diploma, he earned one at the age of 34.

Mr. Hoelscher was the devoted husband of Darleen Hoelscher (nee Keller); father of Verleen Schmidt of St. Peters and Denise (David) McDougall of Poplar Bluff; brother of Vera Rallo of St. Louis, Verle (Matilda) Hoelscher of Belleville, Ill., and Vilas (Frieda) Hoelscher of Centralia, Ill.; and grandfather of three.

A memorial service was conducted at St. Johns United Church of Christ. Interment was in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery with full military honors.