Obituary of Martha Lucille Schuster

A Mass of Christian Burial for Martha Lucille Schuster of Elsberry, MO will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elsberry. Fr. Tom Miller, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in New Melle, MO, will officiate with burial in the Elsberry City Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Bryan Hensley, Jake Lilley, Eric Osner, Clint West, Matt Saabye and Eric Kolkmeyer. Honorary Pallbearers will be Ernie Hensley, Steve Lilley, Jeff Osner, Emily West, Sariya Saabye, Heidi Osner, Amy Osner, Debbie Hensley, Katie Lilley, Anne Osner, Megan West, Matthew Hensley, Nathan Hensley, Caleb West, Lydia Hensley and Wanda Bauer. Mrs. Schuster, 92, passed away Monday afternoon, December 28, 2015 at St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake St. Louis, MO. Born August 30, 1923 in St. Louis, MO, she was the daughter of Gus and Susie Watts Geanoplos. Martha was united in marriage on July 6, 1944 in St. Louis, MO to Everett Virgene “Gene” Schuster. This union was blessed with three daughters: Becky, MaryAnn and Debby. During her younger years, Martha worked at Geanoplos café, her parents’ restaurant, located near the old Elsberry High School. Known as "Grandma Schuster" to all the students, she was a loving pre-school teacher and cook for Small Small World Pre-School and Cherished Beginnings Pre-School from 1980 until her retirement in 2015. Martha was a member of the D.A.R. and a longtime volunteer at the Joseph R. Palmer Family Memorial Library. She was a faithful member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church where she was active with the Sacred Heart Quilters. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gus and Susie Geanoplos; one brother, Russell Hewitt; one sister, Connie Bray; and her beloved husband of nearly 61 years, Gene Schuster, who died May 28, 2005. Survivors include three daughters: Becky Lilley and her husband, Steve, of Elsberry, MaryAnn Hensley and her husband, Ernie, also of Elsberry, and Debby Osner and her husband, Jeff, of Bates City, MO; and one special nephew whom she raised, Bill Bray and his wife, Charlotte, of Huntingville, UT. Martha also leaves 7 grandchildren: Bryan Hensley an his wife, Debbie, of Elsberry, Emily West and her husband Clint of Weldon Springs, MO, Sariya Saabye and her husband, Matt, of St. Peters, MO, Jake Lilley and his wife, Katie, of Roswell, GA, Heidi Kolkmeyer and her husband, Eric, of Wellington, MO, Amy May and her husband, Curtis, of Trenton, MO and Eric Osner and his wife, Anne, of Springfield, MO; twelve great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives, many friends and numerous students. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Church Outreach in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.