Fire Destroys Mobile Home In Waterloo

This afternoon Matt Jobst lost all the contents of the mobile home he rented on East Fourth Street in Waterloo.

“I was only gone three minutes and everything was destroyed,” said Jobst, who was visiting a friend living two trailers down.

At approximately 4:30 p.m., Jobst was visiting a friend when he heard a woman shouting that a trailer was on fire. Jobst noticed that it was his and contacted the Waterloo Fire Department. The fire quickly swept through the structure. Flames were shooting out all the windows as firefighters arrived on the scene. Columbia firefighters were also called for backup as sparks from the fire were reaching neighboring mobile homes.

By about 5:15 p.m., the fire was under control and there was limited damage to other mobile homes. Jobst’s trailer, which is owned by George Hornbostel, was completely destroyed. Jobst said he does not know how the fire could have started.

“The other thing I had turned on was the furnace,” said Jobst, who added his sister recently died and all her belongings were also lost in the fire.

The Waterloo Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire.

“Nothing appears suspicious and we do not expect arson,” said Waterloo Fire Chief Mark Yeager.

Waterloo Fire Chief Mark Yeager, right, shows Matt Jobst, second from left, a game machine that was pulled from the smoldering rubble. “That was my X-Box,” said Jobst, as Waterloo Police Officer Jay Sawyer, second from right, looks on.

Car Slides Down Levee Following Accident

Two vehicles collided this evening near the intersection of Hanover and Bluff Road. At 5:15 p.m., a Pontiac car driven by Eric Johnson collided with a truck operated by Calvin Eckert. After the collision, Johnson’s vehicle slid down the Miles Road levee and came to rest at the bottom. There were no injuries.

Elizabeth Bivins and Dennis Huebner, both of Waterloo, are recovering from injuries sustained in a one-vehicle accident last Friday evening. According to the police report, at 9:30 p.m. Bivins, 43, was driving an Isuzu Rodeo southbound on Route 3 with Huebner, 51, sitting in the passenger seat. As they passed Old State Route 3 Bivins lost control of the vehicle, it crossed the northbound lane and rolled down an embankment. Huebner was ejected from the Rodeo. Waterloo firefighters used Jaws of Life equipment to extricate Bivins. Both were transported by ambulance to St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Louis with non-life-threatening injuries.

Bivins was ticketed by the Illinois State Police for failure to wear a seatbelt, illegal transportation of alcohol, improper lane usage and DUI. Huebner received citations for failure to wear a seatbelt and illegal transportation of alcohol.

Recent Obituaries
Patricia H. Colyott, 81, of Webster Groves, Mo., formerly of Columbia, died Nov. 26, 2007. Survivors include her children Clarence Colyott of Arnold, Mo., Joseph (Dianna) Colyott of Florida, Theresa (Dave) Bick of Florida, and Victoria (Thomas) Stevens of Columbia; 14 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and three sisters. Visitation is Friday, Nov. 30, from 9 to 10 a.m., at Lawlor Funeral Home. A funeral service will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. She will be buried at Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery in Columbia.

Patricia Toenjes nee O’Toole, 62, died Nov. 23, 2007, at St. Anthony's de Greeff Hospice House in St. Louis, Mo. She was born Jan. 31, 1945, in Chicago. Her parents, Peter and Mary (Durkin) O’Toole, immigrated to the United States from County Galway, Ireland and County Mayo, Ireland, respectively. She was baptized, had her first communion and was confirmed at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Chicago. She attended the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. She married Jerome L. Toenjes Oct. 27, 1973, in Chicago. They moved to Columbia with their son, Colin, in 1978. Pat worked as a library technician in the Waterloo School District for 28 years. She loved to read, visit with family and friends, watch football and baseball and was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. She is survived by her husband, Jerome; son, Colin (Crystal) Toenjes; and grandson, Maxwell, of Norman, Okla.; stepson, Joseph (Anissa) of Kirkwood, Mo.; mother-in-law, Loretta K. Toenjes of Columbia; brothers Thomas (Linda) O’Toole of Kingwood, Tex., Peter (Lori) O’Toole of Villa Park; sisters Margaret (Patrick) Heneghan of Chicago, Kathryn (Bill) Foley of Mt. Prospect; and many nieces, nephews and friends. Pat's husband and family would like thank the administration, staff and her coworkers at the Waterloo Community School District No. 5, for all the love and friendship they have given to her. In lieu of flowers, Pat requested donations be made to the Hospice of Southern Illinois, 305 S. Illinois Street, Belleville, IL 62220-2159. A celebration of her life is being planned for a future date.

Rose M. Sellers nee Eggemeyer, 71, of East Carondelet, died Nov. 26, 2007, in Belleville. She married the late Arley Sellers. Survivors include her children Ike L. Sellers of East Carondelet, Tina (Tim) M. Fisher of Millstadt, Jeana (Tim) Muskopf of Columbia, Mary Jane Jackson of Perryville, Mo., Glenda (Glen) Deterding of Red Bud, Arley L. Sellers of East Carondelet, and Jesse (Tina) E. Sellers of New Athens; 17 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; brothers Rodney (Fern) Eggemeyer of Ellis Grove, Herbert (Joyce) Eggemeyer of Walsh, and Sammy (Millie) Eggemeyer of Walsh; and sisters Doris (Oralee) Rahn of Ellis Grove, and Cara Nell Wright of Steeleville. She was a member of Hope Christian Church in Columbia. Visitation is Wednesday, Nov. 28, from 4 to 8 p.m., at Lawlor Funeral Home in Columbia. A funeral service will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Lawlor. She will be buried at the Madonnaville Cemetery in Madonnaville.