Caroline Mary Starke

Caroline Mary (Altheuser) Starke, age 97 of Frankenstein, passed away on Sunday, September 19, 2021, at her residence surrounded by her loving family.

She was born on July 30, 1924, a daughter to the late Herman Gustave Altheuser and Mary Wilimenia (Kleffner) Altheuser in Westphalia.

Growing up Caroline lived and attended school in Westphalia until her family moved to Frankenstein in April of 1937. There she attended grade school and high school at Our Lady Help of Christians and graduated from Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic High School in 1944.

She was united in marriage to Donald E. Starke on May 26, 1951, at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Frankenstein. Donald preceded her in death on October 5, 1988, after thirty-seven years of marriage.

Through the years Caroline worked as a waitress of Jefferson City Bus Station and Adcock’s Café’. She also worked for the Champion’s Canvas Factory in Linn, Oberman’s Manufacturing Company, Tweedies Shoe Factory in Jefferson City, Curry’s Nursing Home in Linn, St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City and the Westinghouse and ABB Manufacturing Company in Jefferson City. She retired from ABB Manufacturing Company in 1993 after working for the two companies for a little over thirty years. She was also involved in the establishing of the Head Start Program in Osage County.

Caroline was a member of Our Lady Help of Christian Church in Frankenstein where she had previously served on the school board and was a member of the St. Ann’s Alter Sodality. Through the years, she also helped quilt many beautiful quilts for the church picnics and fall suppers and had donated several baskets of her homemade wine to the fall supper auctions.

She enjoyed gardening, canning, watching her hummingbirds and wild birds, watching her favorite television shows CHIPS, the Price is Right and the Waltons, quilting, making her delicious homemade grape wine and fixing her famous fried chicken dinners for her family on Sundays. She especially enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren on Sundays, holidays, or whenever anyone would show up for a visit. She always knew she was very much loved by her family.

Caroline is survived by: three sons, Charles Starke (Mary Ann) of Hammond, LA, Robert Starke (LaWanna) of Holts Summit; and Donald Starke, Jr. (Joyce) of Loose Creek; six daughters, Mary Dudenhoeffer (Jerome) of Frankenstein, Carolyn Backes (James) of Bonnots Mill; Sharon Hurlbut of Russellville, Theresa Lepper (Larry) of Jefferson City, Ruth Dudenhoeffer (Marvin) of Frankenstein, and Laura Baumhoer (Paul) of Koeltztown; 28 grandchildren, 42 great grandchildren with two more due in November and two great great grandchildren; a brother-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her spouse, Donald; her parents, Herman and Mary Altheuser; four brothers, Albert, Bernard, Edward and Johnathan Altheuser; four sisters, Loretta, Clara, Agnes and Marie Altheuser; one son-in-law, Chris Hurlbut; five sisters-in-law, Virginia Altheuser, Dorothy Starke, Mary Alice St. Charles, Bonnie Loveall, and Betty Lyons; four brothers-in-law, Harry Starke, Jr., Mike Starke, Charles Loveall and Howard St. Charles.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Frankenstein.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 23, 2021, at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Frankenstein with Fr. Colin Franklin as the Celebrant. Interment will be in the Garden of Gethsemane Cemetery in Frankenstein.

The family has requested that masks and social distancing be required during the visitation and mass.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Mary’s School or Our Lady of Help of Christians Catholic Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Morton Chapel in Linn, (897-2214)
www.mortonchapel.com