Obituary of Dorothy Elvenia Reithemeyer

Funeral Services for Dorothy Elvenia Reithemeyer of Elsberry, MO will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, March 24, 2023 at the Star Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry. Rev. Raymond Doussard, Chaplain for Mercy Hospice and Rev. Roger Briggs, Interim Pastor of Star Hope Baptist Church, will officiate. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 25, 2023 at Countryside Memorial Gardens in Owensville, MO with Pastor Jack Kurrelmeyer officiating. Mrs. Reithemeyer, 90, passed away Sunday morning, March 19, 2023, at the Elsberry Health Care Center near Elsberry. Born August 23, 1932 in Owensville, MO, she was one of eleven children born to William Edward and Laura Esther McGuire Stradford. Dorothy Elvenia was united in marriage on April 29, 1950 in Herman, MO to Howard Junior “Catfish” Reithemeyer. This union was blessed with three children: Rick, Ronald and Kathleen. She worked for several years as the manager of the coffee shop, and later in several other departments of the J.C. Penney store at Northwest Plaza in St. Louis. She retired from J.C. Penney after 20 years of service. She and Junior were foster parents for 10 years for many children in Lincoln County. Dorothy Elvenia was a member of the Star Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Laura Stradford; all eight of her brothers and one sister; all three of her children: Rick Reithemeyer in 1977, Kathleen Copeland in 1987 and Ronald Reithemeyer in 1990; and her beloved husband of 48 years, Howard Junior Reithemeyer who died February 25, 1999. Survivors include her granddaughter, Lori Stewart and her husband, Brian, of Union, MO; four grandsons: Shane Eisenbach, James Reithemeyer, Terry Reithemeyer and Gary Reithemeyer; four great-grandchildren and two great, great-grandchildren. Dorothy Elvenia also leaves one sister, Darlene Shoemaker and her husband, Doyle, of Lonedale, MO; her long-time companion, Ray Bagby of Foley, MO; many, many nieces, nephews, other relatives and lots of friends. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until time of the service at 3:00 p.m. Friday, March 24, 2023 at Star Hope Baptist Church near Elsberry. Memorials may be made to Star Hope Baptist Church in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.