Evelyn Marie (Struemph) Stuecken

Evelyn Marie (Struemph) Stuecken, 88, of Freeburg, died Friday, August 19, 2011. She was born in Freeburg on July 9, 1923, to Frederick "Fritz" and Gertrude (Rudroff) Struemph, the oldest of seven children. She was a 1941 graduate of Freeburg Public School. She was married on June 14, 1947, at Holy Family Church to Carl Ambrose Stuecken, who preceded her in death on December 23, 1987. Evelyn was a lifelong resident of Freeburg. She and her husband owned and operated Stuecken's Cafe, built by Carl's father, Herman Stuecken in 1931, from 1952 to 1965. She was a lifelong member of Holy Family Church, a 50+ year member of the Maries Valley American Legion Post 317 Auxiliary - Freeburg, and a member of the Holy Family Adult Choir. She worked part-time at Mr. Jack's Cafe in Freeburg as a waitress from 1976 to 1990. Those left to mourn her passing include: one son, Stanley Stuecken, Freeburg; three daughters and three sons-in-law, Carleen and Mike Dickneite, Freeburg, Belinda and Greg Kleffner, Ballwin, and Gloria and Vernon Schmitz, Westphalia; one daughter-in-law, Margie Stuecken, Folk; six grandchildren, Matthew and Dana Stuecken, Bonnots Mill, Anthony Stuecken, St. Louis, Jason and Kylie Dickneite, Freeburg, Kristen and Andre Struemph, Freeburg, Dustin and Sarah Kleffner, High Ridge, and Kelly and Matt Sanchez, Fenton; and seven great-grandchildren, Ethan Stuecken, Emma Stuecken, Elise Dickneite, Camille Dickneite, Kate Struemph, Molly Struemph, Kaylah Kleffner, and an eighth great-grandson anticipated in October; one brother, Virgil Struemph and wife Agnes, Freeburg; four sisters, Irma Stuecken, Freebrug, Rose Mary Castrop and husband Ferd, Yukon, Oklahoma, Laurine Wildhaber and husband Ken, Jefferson City, and Alice Stratman, Jefferson City; one brother-in-law, Joe Voss, Linn; and many other relatives and friends. In addition to her husband, immediate family members preceding her in death were her son, Dennis Stuecken, on May 29, 2004; and her sister, Virginia Voss, on August 24, 1974. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Mrs. Stuecken at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 23, 2011, in the Holy Family Catholic Church, Freeburg, with Rev. Phil Niekamp and Rev. Mark Smith officiating. Interment will be in the Holy Family Cemetery, Freeburg, under the direction of the Vienna Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m., Monday, August 22, 2011, with a Prayer Service at 7:30 p.m., all in the Holy Family Catholic Church, Freeburg. Masses or memorial contributions to the Holy Family Church and School, Freeburg, or to the Mercy Foundation for Health Innovation Evelyn Stuecken Memorial at 14528 South Outer 40, Suite 100, Chesterfield, MO 63017, are preferred by the family with envelopes available at the Holy Family Church or the Vienna Office of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes. Condolences may be emailed to birminghammartin @att.net.