Olida Bartels

Olida W. Bartels, 81, of Millersville passed away Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

She was born March 4, 1930, in Tilsit, daughter of Otto Lange and Wilhemina "Minnie" Werner. She and Gene F. Bartels were married March 14, 1954, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit. He passed away Dec. 23, 2005.

Olida was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran in Tilsit. She joined St. Paul Lutheran Church in 1962, where she was currently a member.

She attended school at Immanuel Lutheran in Tilsit, and later graduated from Jackson High School. She continued her education at Southeast Missouri State University, earning a bachelor's degree. She was a teacher 37 years, serving 30 of those at St. Paul Lutheran School in Jackson. She also taught at the former Tilsit Immanuel Lutheran Grade School, Crosstown, Mo., Friedheim and Michigan.

Loving survivors include three sons, Randy (Sabrina) Bartels of Millersville, Kevin Bartels of Perryville, Mo., Jimmy (Leatha) Bartels of Millersville; a daughter, Pamela (Bob) Fechner of Hemet, Calif.; two sisters, Opal (Bob) Klaproth and Marilyn (Bob) Nussbaum of Jackson; six grandchildren, Ashley and Chelsea Bartels, Kristen Fechner, Dylan Sparks, Mike and Misty Fechner.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by an infant brother and a grandson, Robby Fechner.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, and from 9 a.m. until service time Friday at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the church, with the Rev. Robert Henrichs officiating. Interment will be in Crump Cemetery near Crump.

Memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran School.

Sympathy messages may be sent to the family online at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.