Arthur " Art" Henry Holten

Arthur “Art” Henry Holten, 90, of Belleville, Illinois, born November 19, 1921 in East St. Louis, Illinois passed away on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at Rosewood Care Center of Swansea, Swansea, Illinois

Art was a retired laborer for Cerro Copper and Brass, He started work on September 12, 1951 and retired on October 28, 1983. Art loved the St. Louis Cardinals, he was a member of St. Henry’s Catholic Church, and was a WWII veteran serving in the United States Air Force. Art traveled the World in Air Force , he served 3 years, 4 months and 14 days, Art was drafted in September of 1942 at Scott Air Force Base. We was shipped off to Wichita Falls, Texas for six week of basic training and then back for cooking school. Then he was sent to Jefferson Barracks due to pending deployment , but caught the measles and did not have to go. He stayed at Jefferson Barracks for a year. Then was sent to California via the troop train and then back to Jefferson Barracks. Home for one week and then went to Greensboro, North Carolina for a week or two and then off to New York City, where he lived in a hotel. He was then put on a plane and off to Casa Blanca, French Morocco for two weeks, and then to Cairo, Egypt for one year. Then shipped to the Marine Island in the Persian Islands for four months and then back to Cairo, by then the war was over. He was sent to Alexndria, Egypt, where he took a boat home, he landed in New York on the 13 day of travel. Art then took a train to Chicago where is was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force.

Arthur is preceded in death by his parents, Emil and Caroline, nee Kahr, Holten; Siblings, infant Margaret Holten , Infant Betty Ann Holten, Lois Marie (Frederick) Halwachs, Leona (Leroy) Sterr, and Donald (Virginia) Holten; nephew, Thomas Sterr and a niece Joan Sterr.

Surviving are his nieces and nephews, Suzanne (the late Elmer) Smith of Belleville, Illinois, Christine (Robert) Hastings of Millstadt, Illinois, David (Linda) Sterr of Belleville, Illinois, Gary (Mona) Sterr of Belleville, Illinois, Patricia (Bud) Frey of Fairview Heights, Illinois and Barbara Holten of Caseyville, Illinois,

Also, survived by numerous great nieces and nephews.

Masses at St. Henry’s Church preferred in memory of Arthur. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 12, 2012 from 10:00 am until 12:30 pm at the Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville, Illinois

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Friday, October 12, 2012 at 1:00 pm at the St. Henry’s Catholic Church, 5315 West Main Street, Belleville, Illinois with Fr. Kenneth J. York officiating.

Interment will be held in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Fairview Heights, Illinois

Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, Belleville, Illinois