Alvina C. Knecht

Alvina C. Knecht, nee Brooks, 89, of Mascoutah, IL, born April 17, 1919 in Belleville, IL, died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 at the Freeburg Care Center, Freeburg, IL.


Alvina worked as a stenographer in Belleville and later as a typist at Scott Field; as a partner with her husband in the Mascoutah Tom Boy Market for 22 years; and as an Election judge.


Alvina wrote beautiful poems and stories. She was a member of St. John United Church of Christ, Mascoutah, IL. Her community volunteer work took form through club memberships. She served as president of the following clubs: GFWC/IL Mascoutah Tuesday Woman’s Club, Mascoutah Garden Club, Charter member and president of Mascoutah Memorial Scholarship Fund and Mascoutah Lioness Club, as president and later as parliamentary advisor of GFWC/IL Twenty-Second District. On the GFWC/IL State organization board she served as Home Life Department Chairman as Convention secretary, served as president of GFWC/IL Southern Region District Officers Club, a member of GFWC/IL Organization of Past State Board Members and was a member of Mascoutah VFW Auxiliary Post 7682. She was co-person of the year with her husband Alfred for the Lifetime Service Chamber of Commerce award in 1985. She assisted at the Mascoutah Homecoming every year for 48 years.


She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Alfred A. Knecht, whom she married on April 11, 1942, and who died April 20, 1996; her father; Alva E. Brooks who died in 1919, and her beloved parents, Valentine and Catherine, nee Wallenfels, (Brooks) Klemme.


Surviving are her brother, Roland (Bernice) Klemme of Smithton, IL, and a sister, Dolores (Walter) Dill of Smithton, IL; nieces and nephews, Cheryl Klemme, Bonnie (John Aucker) Klemme, Lynn (Jim Davis) Klemme, Michael Klemme, Connie (Michael) Hill, Susan Bruenger, JoAnn Bertelsman and Jane (Dean) Skaer; great nieces and nephews, Jeffrey and Jessica Aucker, Carrie Hill (Joseph) Villanueva, Angela Bertelsman, Benjamin (Marcie) Bertelsman, Elizabeth and John Skaer, great-great nieces and a great-great nephew.


Memorials may be made to Mascoutah Memorial Scholarship Fund, Mascoutah Improvement Association, St. John UCC Church Memorial Fund, or Hospice of Southern Illinois, Inc.


Visitation: friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008 at the Moll Funeral Home in Mascoutah, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20, 2008 at the church.


Funeral: funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20, 2008 at St. John United Church of Christ in Mascoutah, IL with the Rev. Hugh Fitz and the Rev. Jack Spratte officiating. Burial will be in Mascoutah City Cemetery, Mascoutah, IL.