Erna E. Raithel, Russellville

Erna E. Raithel, 88, of Russellville, died Wednesday night, April 2, 2008, at St. Joseph’s Home in Jefferson City.

She was born Sept. 1, 1919, near Russellville, a daughter of Henry and Susanna Hiittenmeyer Raithel.

She was a graduate of Russellville High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in education from Central Missouri State Teachers College and a master of arts degree in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1954.

She began teaching at Lohman Elementary School in 1940. She taught at Simonsen Junior High School in Jefferson City from 1945 to 1947 and at Russellville High School from 1947 to 1954. She retired from Jefferson City High School in 1985, after 31 years of teaching language arts. She also taught at Jefferson City Junior College from 1954-1956.

In 1970, she was the recipient of the American Business Women’s Association Woman of Achievement Award. She was named the outstanding teacher by the Jefferson City Community Teachers Association in 1981-1982. She was also recognized by the State of Missouri Senate in 1985.
She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma sorority, Heisinger Bluffs and St. Mary’s Health Center Auxiliaries, Trinity Lutheran Women of the ELCA, University of Missouri Alumni, Missouri Association of Teachers of English, Missouri State Teachers Association and Missouri and Cole County Retired Teachers.

She was an active, lifetime member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Russellville, where she would have completed her 70th year of teaching Sunday school in September. She also taught SEARCH and INSPIRE, which were additional Bible study classes. She was active in the senior group called Retreads, and also was responsible for the congregational newsletter “Trinity’s Link” from January 1986 until her last publication in March of 2008. She was also the editor of the Trinity Lutheran anniversary books in 1970 and 1995, and the Russellville Sesquicentennial Book in 1998.

Surviving are 11 nieces, Ruby Tucker, of League City, Texas, Evelyn Carlos and Laverne Popp, both of Jefferson City, Berniece Jungmeyer, of Russellville, Dr. Ann Raithel, of St. Louis,  Carolyn Deffenbaugh, Rebecca Verslues and Elizabeth Strobel, all of Lohman, Mary Cox and Sarah Baker, both of Holts Summit, and Barbara Snellen, of Henley; eight nephews, Dr. Robert Linsenbardt, of Sedalia, Dr. David Linsenbardt, Paul Edward Jungmeyer and Dr. Roger Jungmeyer, all of Russellville, Leroy Linsenbardt and Glenn Linsenbardt, both of Las Vegas; Thomas Raithel, of Strawberry Point, Iowa, and James Raithel, of Port Neches, Texas; and several great-nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by four sisters, Emma Morrow, Freda Linsenbardt, Augusta Raithel and Pauline Jungmeyer; and four brothers, Adolph, Alvin, Hugo and Henry Raithel.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Russellville, with the Rev. David Carlson officiating. Burial will be in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Russellville. The family will receive friends from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Scrivner-Morrow Funeral Home in Russellville. Condolences may be left online at www.scrivner-morrow.com.

The family suggests memorial contributions to Trinity Lutheran Church-Erna Raithel Scholarship Fund or Heisinger Bluffs, Benevolent Care Fund.