Eugene A. Bartels

1925-2012

Eugene Adolf Carlton Bartels, 87, St. Joseph, Missouri died Saturday, December 30, 2012, at Heartland Regional Medical Center. He was born at Edwardsville, Madison County, Illinois on August 27, 1925, the son of Henry W. and Lydia (Bunge) Bartels. He was baptized and confirmed at Eden United Church of Christ in Edwardsville, Illinois. He was a member of that church until 1951. He attended grade school and high school in Edwardsville where he graduated from Edwardsville High School in 1943. After a short period in the United States Coast Guard in 1943, he worked for the United States Army Corps of Engineers in the Rivers and Harbors Division in the Saint Louis District, where he worked on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers until 1946. In 1946 to 1950 he attended the Missouri School of Mines where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1950. He was employed by the Missouri State Department of Highways and Transportation in Joplin, Hannibal, Jefferson City and St. Joseph, Missouri, where he retired as Surveys and Plans Engineer in 1985 after 37 years with the department. He married Marilyn Joyce Mounts on August 12, 1951, at the First United Methodist Church in Hannibal, Missouri. They have lived in Saint Joseph, Missouri, since 1958. She survives of the home. He was a member of the Huffman Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Joseph since 1958 and served in many capacities in the church including the Chancel Choir, Methodist Men, Commission of Education, the Guy Harden Sunday School Class, and the group who served the Open Door Food Kitchen in St. Joseph. He was a Charter Member of Chi Epsilon (Honorary Civil Engineering Fraternity), Tau Beta Pi (Honorary Engineering Society), and had been a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Road Builders, Northwest Missouri Chapter of Professional Engineers, Maryville Transportation Commission, Saint Joseph Transportation Commission, Mo.-Kan. Regional Council. He was a member of Gideons for some 23 years and was a member of the Shepherd Center of the Greater Saint Joseph Area. Since he retired he had been a member of the Heartland Healthy Hikers Club at East Hills Mall. He had many hobbies, which included genealogy, knitting, model railroading, stamp collection, and hybridizing and raising daylilies. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Selma Dorothea Wilhelmina (Bartels) Rezabek and Ruth Marion Leona Bartels, both of Edwardsville, Illinois. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Karla Kay (Bartels) Thies, and husband, Duane, and one granddaughter, Jennifer Ann Thies of Saint Joseph, Missouri. He is also survived by four nephews, Marvin Paul Rezabek and wife Donna of Marietta, Georgia, Bruce Henry Rezabek and wife, Donna, Richard Charles Rezabek and wife, Alice, both of Edwardsville, Illinois, and Francis Wenceslaus Rezabek and wife Nancy of Columbia, Missouri. Also four nieces, Eugenia Ruth Huff of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Mary Josephine Dresch and husband, Bill, of Roxana, Illinois, Theresa Ann Lavelle of Edwardsville, Illinois, and Mary Catherine Hughart and husband James of Fielden, Illinois. Also survived by ten grandnephews, seven grandnieces, eleven great-grandnephews, and two great-grandnieces. Services: 10:00 A.M. Thursday, Huffman United Methodist Church. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. In place of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Gideons International c/o P.O. Box 662, Saint Joseph, Missouri 64502 or Huffman Memorial United Methodist Church. 2801 Renick Street, Saint Joseph, Missouri 64507. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.