Bernard F. “Bernie” Loepker, 79, of Bartelso, died Monday, March 09, 2009 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. 

Mr. Loepker was born October 10, 1929 in Bartelso to Alois and Leonora (Becker) Loepker; they preceded him in death. 

Also preceded in death by a daughter, Donna Loepker; a son, Gary Loepker; a brother, Ervin Loepker; a sister, Dorothy Richter; a sister-in-law, Marion Grawe; and brothers-in-law, William Wiegmann, Fr. Alvin Grawe, Frank Grawe, and Eugene Grawe. 

He married Mildred Grawe on January 6, 1953 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Bartelso; she survives in Bartelso.  

Also surviving are his children, Daniel (Chris) Loepker, Dale Loepker, Mary Beth (Kent) Kohrmann, Glenn (Chris) Loepker, and Kent Loepker all of Bartelso; 10 grandchildren, Miranda (fiancé Patrick Miller) Loepker, Jason (special friend Amy Chamberlain) Loepker, Jessica Loepker, Alicia Loepker, Jennifer (Russell) Budde,  Jacqueline (Eric) Pingsterhaus, Chelsea Kohrmann, Kayla Loepker, Kyler Loepker, and Nolan Loepker;  2 great-grandchildren, Maybree Budde and Irelyn Pingsterhaus; a brother, Herbert (JoAnn) Loepker of Troy; sisters, Elsie Wiegmann of Trenton, Edna Woltering of Carlyle, and Ethel (Ralph) Petermeyer of Carlyle; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Frances Loepker of Washington, MO, Dolores (Hank) Kreke of Bartelso, Ethel (Vince) Albers of Germantown, Bette (Bob) Gonzales of Trenton, Mary Becker of Beckemeyer, Don (Betty) Grawe of Beaver Prairie, Casper Richter of Breese, and Jerry (Mary) Grawe of Bartelso. 

Bernie retired as a dairy farmer and was a veteran of the United States Army.  He was a member, Eucharistic Minister, usher, funeral server and former choir member of St. Cecilia Church in Bartelso, Bartelso Young at Hearts Club, Catholic Holy Family Society, Bartelso Knights of Columbus Council 4745 and 4^th Degree Bishop Althoff Assembly, Past Commander of Bartelso American Legion Post 976, Catholic War Veterans, Clinton County Farm Bureau, retired director of Mid-America Dairy, retired Illinois Dairy Association, retired Hanover Levee Commissioner, and was a retired Bartelso volunteer fire fighter.  

Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Bartelso with Fr. Henry Fischer officiating.  Interment will follow in St. Cecilia Cemetery, Bartelso. 

Visitation will be Wednesday, March 11, 2009 from 4:00-9:00 PM and again on Thursday, March 12, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM at the Moss Funeral Home in Germantown. 

Memorials can be made to the St. Cecilia Church Memorial Fund and will be received at the funeral home.