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Today's News - March 26, 2008
Old
Weibacher’s Store Gets A Facelift Tammy Mitchell-Hines is remodeling the exterior of the building that houses her downtown Columbia real estate business. As construction crews removed the side façade, the Weilbacher’s Shopping Center sign was revealed. It had been covered up during a previous renovation. “Weilbacher’s closed in 1985,” said Harold Harres, a former president. Weilbacher’s had three stores that operated on Main Street in Columbia from the early 1930s until 1985. The stores sold clothes, dry goods, shoes, hardware, furniture, appliances and groceries. Henry Weilbacher first opened an ice cream shop in 1913 that was located next to Immaculate Conception Church. The department store was built in the 1930s. The hardware and food stores were added later. “We’re fixing up the front of the building,” said Mitchell-Hines, current owner of the building. In addition to her real estate business, other tenants include an attorney, a chiropractor and an aviation company. Part of the remodeling is being funded through a Columbia Civic Progress Façade Application Program.
Moehrs Agrees To Terms With Chick Fritz: Waterloo Millers To Begin Play In 2008 After more than 40 years of playing as the Waterloo Buds, the Mon-Clair League baseball team from Waterloo will now be known as the Waterloo Millers. “We sent them a check and we’ll be sponsoring the team this year,” confirmed Arnie Eckart, a longtime Chick Fritz Distributing employee. The company primarily sells Miller beer products throughout Southern Illinois . Vern Moehrs has been with the team for more than 50 years. He joined the team as a player in 1952 and was named manager in 1961. His teams have consistently dominated the Mon-Clair League. In the past 46 years under Moehrs, the team has a record of 1,700 wins and 416 losses, an .803 winning percentage. In the playoffs, the team has won 36 division titles (including a current streak of 26 straight), 24 league playoff titles and 11 Mid-Summer Classic titles. Waterloo’s men’s semi-pro baseball team played as the Waterloo Warriors until 1961, when Raymond “Slim” Koerber agreed to sponsor the team. Slim ran Koerber Distributing, the local distributor of Anheuser-Busch products. The team became the Waterloo Buds, named after the brewery’s top seller, Budweiser. After Slim died, Koerber Distributing was owned by his children, John Koerber and Donna Schneider. They continued sponsoring the team until they sold the business in 2006 to Illinois Distributing of Belleville. “When we were getting ready to sell the businesses I recommended to the new owner they continue supporting the Buds,” John Koerber said. While he said he wishes the best for Moehrs and the local ball club, Koerber said he wishes an agreement could have been made between Moehrs and Illinois Distributing. “I am very disappointed the Waterloo team will no longer be known as the Buds,” Koerber said. “My family took a lot of pride in supporting the Buds.” Moehrs said although Illinois Distributing was a good sponsor for the past two years, there were several factors as to why an agreement could not be reached between the ball club and the distributorship. “In the end, it was mutually agreed upon that we would not be able to come to terms,” said Moehrs. He added that there are no hard feelings between anybody involved. Moehrs expressed how thankful he was for the many years the Koerber Distributing family has helped support the team. “Without them, we couldn’t have been the Buds,” said Moehrs. “I truly wish we could have worked out an agreement.” Illinois Distributing sponsored the team beginning in 2006 and said they had hoped to continue supporting the Buds. “We were more than happy to continue the sponsorship of the team,” said Doug Wiegard, director of marketing for Illinois Distributing. Wiegard said Illinois offered the team the same monetary support the Koerber family had been providing, but they did ask the team for a few additional promotional considerations. “We wanted to get a little more in return for our investment,” said Wiegard. The items Illinois Distributing asked Moehrs and the Buds to incorporate this year included a Budweiser logo on the uniforms, a Budweiser banner displayed at the field during home games, a logo and links on the team website, a mention on the website of the longtime support offered by the local Budweiser distributors, Budweiser logos on the team program, and they wanted the team members to be spokesmen for the product. “We asked them, if they chose to have a beer, to drink Budweiser when at public functions or anywhere the public may see you consuming a beer,” said Wiegard. Moehrs had talked by phone to Wiegard last week and said he could not meet all of the requirements, and he told him the team would need to go elsewhere for sponsorship. Moehrs said he contacted Chick Fritz Distributing and an agreement for sponsorship was soon worked out. “I just felt I had to do what was best for the team,” said Moehrs. The Waterloo Millers will begin playing at the end of May sporting new uniforms with “Millers” on the front of the jerseys. The uniforms will be paid for through funds previously set aside by the team for such a purpose. They play at the SS. Peter and Paul Baseball Fields near Peterstown House in Waterloo.
Recent Obituaries Rosella Kelley nee Fahey, 82, of Waterloo , died March 25, in St. Louis , Mo. She was born July 5, 1925 in Red Bud, the daughter of the late Martin and Ellen Mary (nee Gorman) Fahey. Mrs. Kelley is survived by husband, James Kelley; children Daniel Kelley of rural Red Bud; Eva (Roger) Schaefer of Columbia; Paul (Carol) Kelley of St. Louis, Mo.; Richard (Celeste) Kelley of Waterloo, Gerald (Marie) Kelley of Waterloo, Janet (William) Schmitz of Waterloo, Kathleen (Eric) Bingham of Columbia, Teresa Polacek of Waterloo, Rose Kettler of Waterloo, Ellen (David Sr.) Otten of rural Waterloo and Laura Kelley of Columbia; 24 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren; along with sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by son, Robert "Whop" Kelley; brothers Charles, Thomas and William Fahey; sister, Catherine Fahey; and son-in-law, Edward Polacek Jr. She was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church of Tipton and was an avid quilter. Visitation is Wednesday, March 26, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Thursday, March 27, 10 a.m., at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tipton with Father Jose Jacob officiating. She will be buried at the church's cemetery. Memorials may be made to the church. Robert Toal Sr., 69, of Waterloo , died March 23, 2008, in Creve Coeur , Mo. He was born July 15, 1938 in Alton , the son of the late Leo R. Sr. & Hildegarde (nee Brown) Toal. He is survived by wife, Mary (nee Dietz) Toal; children Robert "Larry" (Connie) Toal, Michael (Teresa) Toal, Stephen Toal and Cheryl (Steve) Oelklaus; grandchildren Courtney Yearian, Macy Griffin and Camille Toal, Jack Toal and Bryce Oelklaus; great-grandchildren Eli and Dalen Dinges; brother, Jack (Ruth) Toal; and sisters-in-law Pat Toal and Imogene Toal; along with sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by brothers Lee and Don Toal. He was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church's Holy Name Society. A memorial mass will be Saturday, April 5, 10 a.m., at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo . There will be no visitation. Memorials may be made to the SS. Peter and Paul Grade School Building Fund or Gibault High School . Richard Meier, 58, of rural Waterloo , died March 24, 2008, at Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis . He was born Jan. 17, 1950 in Red Bud, the son of the late Joseph Zoedell (nee Drees) Meier. He is survived by his wife, JoAnn Meier nee Floerke, whom he married in 1977; sons Nick (Beck) Meier and Mike Meier, both of Waterloo; granddaughter, Gabriella Anne Meier; brother, John (Marie) Meier of rural Waterloo; sister, Don (Alice) Haslag of Bonnots Mill, Mo.; mother-in-law, Sis Floerke; sister-in-law Susan Floerke; niece, Cindie (Eric) Allscheid; nephew, Chuck (Kim) Meier; grand-nieces and nephews Miranda and Matthew Meier and Cassie and Krista Allscheid; and godchildren Jennifer Kohnz and Chad Everett. He was preceded in death by a father-in-law, Marcellus "Mac" Floerke; and a nephew, Tim Floerke. Rich was retired from Menard Penitentiary in Chester and was a broker / owner of Meier Real Estate (The Meier Team), formerly RE/Max Prestige in Waterloo and Columbia . He was a lifetime member and past commander of the Waterloo VFW, American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Realtor Association of Southern Illinois and Illinois Association of Realtors. Rich was involved with the Battle of Ripcord, the last major battle of the Vietnam War. He was in A Battery 2/11th Artillery 4th section 155 Howitzer. He received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Cluster and other service awards. He is a member of the Ripcord Association, a group of Vietnam veterans who were on and around Fire Base Ripcord in 1970, which sustained one of the greatest losses of troops in the Vietnam War. The Ripcord Vets meet annually for a convention and other excursions to enjoy each other’s company and reminisce about their experiences. Pallbearers at the funeral will be members of this organization. Memorials may be made to masses or to Disabled American Veterans. Visitation is Friday, March 28, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. A VFW service will be at 7 p.m. Funeral is Saturday, March 29, 1 p.m., at the funeral home with Mike Andrews officiating. Burial will be at Immaculate Conception Church Cemetery in Madonnaville.
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