Marie Caroline Sommers

Marie Caroline Sommers, nee Zimmerman, 93, of Belleville, Ill., born Feb. 24, 1919, in St. Morgan, Ill., entered Heaven on Tuesday, March 20, 2012, at Mar-Ka Nursing Home, Mascoutah, Ill., with her family by her side.

Marie was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was a business owner and philanthropist, always helping others and serving in many religious, civic and state level positions.

Marie is preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Sommers; parents, Nicholas and Caroline, nee Voegele, Zimmerman; step-mother, Johanna, nee Mattern, Zimmerman; brothers, Clarence (Evangeline) Zimmerman and Gerald (Marie) Zimmerman; sisters, Elvira Patterson and Caroline Zimmerman; brother-in-law, Joseph Bechtoldt.

Surviving are her loving children, Caroline (Charles) Sauer of Summerfield, Fla., JoAnn (Doug Hill) Richter-Hill of Belleville, Ill., and Michael (Montie) Sommers of St. Louis, Mo.; grandchildren, Charlie (Barb) Sauer, Christine (Chris) Rose, Marcie Kolf, Paul Richter, Courtney (Ted) Mahar, Chris and Annie Sommers, Tom (Angie) Ackerman, and Lauren (Andy) Gaglione; great-grandchildren, Lauren, Daniel and Conor Sauer, Julianna and Isabella Kolf, Erika an Audrey Ackerman and Indie Rose; great-great-grandson, Bennett Hamilton; friend and sister, Delores Bechtoldt; and friend and cousin, Marie Hulling.

Memorials in Marie's memory may be made to the St. Henry's Catholic Church or to Heartland Hospice. Website memorial to Marie at marie.sommers.muchloved.com

Funeral: A Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 12, 2012, at St. Henry's Catholic Church, Belleville, Ill. A luncheon will follow the Mass. As Marie was charitable in life, she bequeathed herself to St. Louis University School of Medicine.

VALHALLA GAERDNER HOLTEN FUNERAL HOME, Belleville, Ill.

Read more here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/belleville/obituary.aspx?n=marie-c-sommers&pid=156789249&fhid=8527#storylink=cpy