The daughter of Louis Henry Meseke and Mathilda Wilhelmina "Tillie" Willenburg, Bertha married Clifford "Cliff" Arnold on 28 Oct 1931 at the parsonage of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Brussels, Calhoun County, Illinois.
The Arnolds soon became the parents of 4 children and lived in Batchtown, Illinois until 11 Apr 1938 when their house, along with everything they owned, burned to the ground.
With 4 children under the age of 6 and jobs still very hard to come by, Bertha and Cliff moved to a small rented house in Golden Eagle. They were living there when Bertha lost a child in July of 1940.
In late summer of 1941, Cliff secured a job with Shell Oil Company in Madison County, Illinois. The family moved to Wood River in January of the following year, and later to nearby Roxana. Cliff worked at Shell for 28 years and was eventually promoted to pipefitter.
The Arnolds were members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wood River.
During World War II, Bertha's youngest brother, Bud Meseke, was killed in action while serving with the United States Army in Italy.
By the time all but one son had left home, the Arnolds moved for the last time to another home in Roxana. After retiring from Shell in 1970, Cliff worked in outside construction for several more years.
Cliff and Bertha traveled extensively throughout the United States during their remaining time together.
After battling liver cancer for almost 3 months, Bertha passed away at the age of 74 years, 9 months and 10 days at her home in Roxana.
She was survived by her husband, Cliff; 2 sons and their wives; 2 daughters and their husbands; 6 granddaughters; and 5 grandsons. She was also survived by 2 brothers, Louis Meseke and George Meseke, both of St. Louis County, Missouri; and 2 sisters, Oleta Freand of Carrollton, Illinois, and Freda Robeen of Hardin, Illinois.
Bertha was preceded in death by her parents; an infant son, Clifford Arnold; and 3 brothers, Henry, Oscar and Bud Meseke.
Visitation was held from 4 to 9 p.m. on 25 Aug 1981 at Gray Funeral Home in Wood River, Illinois. Visitation continued the following morning at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wood River from 9 a.m. until the beginning of funeral services at 10:30 a.m.
The family requested that memorials, if desired, be made to the church or to the Madison County Hospice Association.
Bertha's husband, Cliff, passed away in 1983 and was buried next to her.
Children: 3 sons, 2 daughters.
Mother of:
Donald Wayne Arnold
(Living) Arnold
(Living) Arnold
(Living) Arnold
Clifford Arnold
Bertha's siblings:
Henry August "Heinie" Meseke
Louis Albert Carl "Louie" Meseke
George William Meseke
Oscar Fred Meseke
Otto Horace "Bud" Meseke
Oleta Dorothy Meseke Freand
Freda Rose Meseke Robeen
The Arnolds soon became the parents of 4 children and lived in Batchtown, Illinois until 11 Apr 1938 when their house, along with everything they owned, burned to the ground.
With 4 children under the age of 6 and jobs still very hard to come by, Bertha and Cliff moved to a small rented house in Golden Eagle. They were living there when Bertha lost a child in July of 1940.
In late summer of 1941, Cliff secured a job with Shell Oil Company in Madison County, Illinois. The family moved to Wood River in January of the following year, and later to nearby Roxana. Cliff worked at Shell for 28 years and was eventually promoted to pipefitter.
The Arnolds were members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wood River.
During World War II, Bertha's youngest brother, Bud Meseke, was killed in action while serving with the United States Army in Italy.
By the time all but one son had left home, the Arnolds moved for the last time to another home in Roxana. After retiring from Shell in 1970, Cliff worked in outside construction for several more years.
Cliff and Bertha traveled extensively throughout the United States during their remaining time together.
After battling liver cancer for almost 3 months, Bertha passed away at the age of 74 years, 9 months and 10 days at her home in Roxana.
She was survived by her husband, Cliff; 2 sons and their wives; 2 daughters and their husbands; 6 granddaughters; and 5 grandsons. She was also survived by 2 brothers, Louis Meseke and George Meseke, both of St. Louis County, Missouri; and 2 sisters, Oleta Freand of Carrollton, Illinois, and Freda Robeen of Hardin, Illinois.
Bertha was preceded in death by her parents; an infant son, Clifford Arnold; and 3 brothers, Henry, Oscar and Bud Meseke.
Visitation was held from 4 to 9 p.m. on 25 Aug 1981 at Gray Funeral Home in Wood River, Illinois. Visitation continued the following morning at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wood River from 9 a.m. until the beginning of funeral services at 10:30 a.m.
The family requested that memorials, if desired, be made to the church or to the Madison County Hospice Association.
Bertha's husband, Cliff, passed away in 1983 and was buried next to her.
Children: 3 sons, 2 daughters.
Mother of:
Donald Wayne Arnold
(Living) Arnold
(Living) Arnold
(Living) Arnold
Clifford Arnold
Bertha's siblings:
Henry August "Heinie" Meseke
Louis Albert Carl "Louie" Meseke
George William Meseke
Oscar Fred Meseke
Otto Horace "Bud" Meseke
Oleta Dorothy Meseke Freand
Freda Rose Meseke Robeen
The daughter of Louis Henry Meseke and Mathilda Wilhelmina "Tillie" Willenburg, Bertha married Clifford "Cliff" Arnold on 28 Oct 1931 at the parsonage of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Brussels, Calhoun County, Illinois.
The Arnolds soon became the parents of 4 children and lived in Batchtown, Illinois until 11 Apr 1938 when their house, along with everything they owned, burned to the ground.
With 4 children under the age of 6 and jobs still very hard to come by, Bertha and Cliff moved to a small rented house in Golden Eagle. They were living there when Bertha lost a child in July of 1940.
In late summer of 1941, Cliff secured a job with Shell Oil Company in Madison County, Illinois. The family moved to Wood River in January of the following year, and later to nearby Roxana. Cliff worked at Shell for 28 years and was eventually promoted to pipefitter.
The Arnolds were members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wood River.
During World War II, Bertha's youngest brother, Bud Meseke, was killed in action while serving with the United States Army in Italy.
By the time all but one son had left home, the Arnolds moved for the last time to another home in Roxana. After retiring from Shell in 1970, Cliff worked in outside construction for several more years.
Cliff and Bertha traveled extensively throughout the United States during their remaining time together.
After battling liver cancer for almost 3 months, Bertha passed away at the age of 74 years, 9 months and 10 days at her home in Roxana.
She was survived by her husband, Cliff; 2 sons and their wives; 2 daughters and their husbands; 6 granddaughters; and 5 grandsons. She was also survived by 2 brothers, Louis Meseke and George Meseke, both of St. Louis County, Missouri; and 2 sisters, Oleta Freand of Carrollton, Illinois, and Freda Robeen of Hardin, Illinois.
Bertha was preceded in death by her parents; an infant son, Clifford Arnold; and 3 brothers, Henry, Oscar and Bud Meseke.
Visitation was held from 4 to 9 p.m. on 25 Aug 1981 at Gray Funeral Home in Wood River, Illinois. Visitation continued the following morning at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wood River from 9 a.m. until the beginning of funeral services at 10:30 a.m.
The family requested that memorials, if desired, be made to the church or to the Madison County Hospice Association.
Bertha's husband, Cliff, passed away in 1983 and was buried next to her.
Children: 3 sons, 2 daughters.
Mother of:
Donald Wayne Arnold
(Living) Arnold
(Living) Arnold
(Living) Arnold
Clifford Arnold
Bertha's siblings:
Henry August "Heinie" Meseke
Louis Albert Carl "Louie" Meseke
George William Meseke
Oscar Fred Meseke
Otto Horace "Bud" Meseke
Oleta Dorothy Meseke Freand
Freda Rose Meseke Robeen
The Arnolds soon became the parents of 4 children and lived in Batchtown, Illinois until 11 Apr 1938 when their house, along with everything they owned, burned to the ground.
With 4 children under the age of 6 and jobs still very hard to come by, Bertha and Cliff moved to a small rented house in Golden Eagle. They were living there when Bertha lost a child in July of 1940.
In late summer of 1941, Cliff secured a job with Shell Oil Company in Madison County, Illinois. The family moved to Wood River in January of the following year, and later to nearby Roxana. Cliff worked at Shell for 28 years and was eventually promoted to pipefitter.
The Arnolds were members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wood River.
During World War II, Bertha's youngest brother, Bud Meseke, was killed in action while serving with the United States Army in Italy.
By the time all but one son had left home, the Arnolds moved for the last time to another home in Roxana. After retiring from Shell in 1970, Cliff worked in outside construction for several more years.
Cliff and Bertha traveled extensively throughout the United States during their remaining time together.
After battling liver cancer for almost 3 months, Bertha passed away at the age of 74 years, 9 months and 10 days at her home in Roxana.
She was survived by her husband, Cliff; 2 sons and their wives; 2 daughters and their husbands; 6 granddaughters; and 5 grandsons. She was also survived by 2 brothers, Louis Meseke and George Meseke, both of St. Louis County, Missouri; and 2 sisters, Oleta Freand of Carrollton, Illinois, and Freda Robeen of Hardin, Illinois.
Bertha was preceded in death by her parents; an infant son, Clifford Arnold; and 3 brothers, Henry, Oscar and Bud Meseke.
Visitation was held from 4 to 9 p.m. on 25 Aug 1981 at Gray Funeral Home in Wood River, Illinois. Visitation continued the following morning at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wood River from 9 a.m. until the beginning of funeral services at 10:30 a.m.
The family requested that memorials, if desired, be made to the church or to the Madison County Hospice Association.
Bertha's husband, Cliff, passed away in 1983 and was buried next to her.
Children: 3 sons, 2 daughters.
Mother of:
Donald Wayne Arnold
(Living) Arnold
(Living) Arnold
(Living) Arnold
Clifford Arnold
Bertha's siblings:
Henry August "Heinie" Meseke
Louis Albert Carl "Louie" Meseke
George William Meseke
Oscar Fred Meseke
Otto Horace "Bud" Meseke
Oleta Dorothy Meseke Freand
Freda Rose Meseke Robeen
Gravesite Details
Double click on photos to enlarge images.
Family Members
Siblings
