Amici Ad Astra: Becky Walstrom

Rebecca Sue (Hull) Walstrom , devoted wife, cherished sister, fun-loving aunt and treasured friend, left the troubles of this world behind on May 13, 2019, in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of seventy-one years. Becky, as she was known to family and friends was born on April 6, 1948, in Eldon, Missouri, to Joseph Emil and Anna Lou Etter Hull.

As a young girl, Becky made a profession of faith in Christ. She was a Charter member of Southern Heights Christian Church in Lebanon. Becky spent her childhood in Lebanon, where she attended school. In 1965, she was Laclede County Fair Queen and later participated in the Miss Missouri Pageant. Becky graduated from Lebanon High School with the class of 1966. The friends she made were countless. Through the years, she kept in contact with many of them.

On September 3, 1967, Becky was united in marriage with the love of her life and eternal best friend Charles Edgar Walstrom. Becky and Charlie spent the next fifty-one years sharing laughter and multiple memories. They loved each other completely.

In 1974, Becky began working at Landau Boat Company. She was the Credit Manager and Purchasing Agent. Through her next four years of employment with Landau, she analyzed financial statements, ordered supplies and assisted with advertising.

In 1980, Becky became an Educational Research Assistant for University of Missouri-Rolla. She assisted with research studies, which were concerned with the environmental effects of students obtaining Federal or State funded grants. She conducted various studies with the students during her time at UMR, including social anxiety testing and Aging. Becky attended Drury College, where in 1981, she obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology. She was on the Dean’s List and PsiChi Honor Society in Psychology. Also, that same year, Becky was nominated for Outstanding Young Women of America for professional achievement and community service.

Beginning in 1982, Becky began her career with University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL.) Through the years she has held various titles. She excelled at all of them. Becky was Senior Buyer for UMSL from 1982-1990. Beginning in 1990, she became the Senior Continuing Education Coordinator. Becky was also the Campus Coordinator of the Elderhostel Program and most recently, her passion was becoming the Executive Director of St. Louis Storytelling Festival. Preparation for the festival included Becky contracting with featured storytellers, establishing new festival locations, and negotiating hotel and food contracts, among many other things. The festival reached record levels of attendance under Becky’s direction, 20,000 men, women, and mostly children from all over the world participate, once a year in May. Becky was driven and goal oriented. She loved every minute of it. She was excited about life and thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people and hearing their life story. Becky also attended University of Missouri-St. Louis and obtained a Masters Degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Adult Education in 1998.

Although Becky was career driven, she also enjoyed moments of free time. She enjoyed tending to her garden, spending time with Charlie at the Lake of the Ozarks, and recently, she started playing golf. However, moments shared with her family are what she treasured most.

Becky is survived by her husband Charlie; one brother, Stephen Hull and his wife Cheryl of Lebanon, MO; two nephews, Matt Hull of Springfield, MO and Joe Hull and his wife Sarah of Chillicothe, MO; other relatives, many friends and dear co-workers.

She was welcomed into Heaven by her parents.

(Text from Becky's funeral literature)

Amici Ad Astra: Sandi Sylvers

Sandi Sylver was reunited with her sweet Mother and loving dog Apache(Patches) on April 1st 2019. She had suffered a difficult illness over the last year. She was born to Sheldon and Lillian Sylver and spent her first 13 years in Mount Vernon Her father had an opportunity to relocate to NMB Florida where she graduated Miami Norland Senior High School. Sandi had a sense of adventure and an ‘I can try anything once’ attitude.. She was excited to move to Greenwich Village. She was for sure a beatnik and early hippie. She both worked and performed in that scene as a guitar player, singer and occasional waitress. She loved her time at the GasLight. After her time in NYC she traveled around Europe. That musical adventure brought her to live in both San Francisco and later to Ojai California. She made long lasting friends wherever she went.

Her next adventure brought her to Atlanta. There she opened a franchisefor Roly Poly Sandwich Shops and an Electrologist office. She did well in both adventures for quite a few years. Sandi always loved to entertain and perform. She felt something was missing. Always staring adventure in the eye, she moved to North Aroura Il. It was there she discovered a talent for ventriloquism after reading a book on it at her local library. She worked very hard to hone her craft, specializing in entertaining children to read, performing in libraries all over the country. Her aides on this journey were all her puppets and their varied personalities.

Getting back to Florida and the weather was always on her mind. She found a great opportunity to move to Largo, Florida and buy a home. While performing locally, she still traveled back to the libraries and people that were so kind to her along her journey. It was over this last year of health challenges that she started to slow down...eventually retiring in March. One of her last wishes regarding her puppet family, was to donate them to a school that teaches the craft she loved so much. Sandi is survived by countless friends nationwide; her sister Barbara Rosenthal and brother Max Sylver. She was an Aunt and cousin to many.

(Text from Sandi's obituary)

Amici Ad Astra: Mary Kay Menees

Mary Kay Menees passed away peacefully on April 26, 2019. Mary Kay Hardesty was born July 18, 1921, to T.O. Hardesty, M.D. and Katherine (Killam) Hardesty, in

Jacksonville, Illinois, where she later graduated from McMurry College. After college, she married Charles Menees of Virginia, Illinois in 1943, and the couple moved to St.Louis. They lived on Art Hill Place, adjacent to the St. Louis Zoo, and then had homes in University City and Kirkwood. Mary Kay had three children, Nancy Katherine, Charles Hardy, and Marcia Anne, born between 1945 and 1955.

Around 1960, Mary Kay returned to Webster College to become a teacher. She was aFaculty member of Central then Conway Elementary Schools in Ladue from 1962 until retirement in 1984. She was a third-grade teacher and loved to teach children to read!During child-rearing years, Charlie Menees worked at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as a feature writer, columnist and music critic, and then for the McDonnell Douglas Air Scoopas editor of this newspaper. In retirement, Cactus Charlie started his beloved jazzprograms on Saturday nights on KWMU and then KMOX radio with his last showentitled: Jazz Under the Arch. His car license plate was Dr. Jazz while Mary Kay's carplate became Saint Jazz. Mary Kay accompanied her husband most Saturday nights andsat by his side during broadcasts.

In retirement, Mary Kay became a community volunteer at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, a storyteller with St. Louis Gateway Storytellers, and a tutor at Reading is Fundamental (RIF) for 36 years. She was also active at the Kirkwood Library, Toastmasters, and participated in several book clubs and bridge groups. Mary Kay is survived by her three children, Nancy Menees Hardesty (John Parker), Hardy Menees (Kathy Menees), Marcia Menees Kessel (Brian Kessel). She is also survived by her grandchildren, Bob Menees (Susanna Menees), Annie Menees (Hon. Joseph L. Goff, Jr.), Evan Hardesty Parker (Cailin Parker), Bonnie Kessel Gregg (Jack Gregg), and Sarah Kessel. Additionally, her great-grandchildren are Sage and Alice Menees, Gracie Goff, and Emerson and Ellis Parker. Mary Kay's family would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the staff at Evelyn's House and St. Luke's Hospital for the compassionate care they provided.

(Text from Mary Kay's obituary)