Katherine D. Balster, 75, Died Monday Morning at Memorial Hospital

Mrs. Katherine Dorothy Balster, 75, a resident of Athens the past four years died at the Memorial hospital Springfield, at 5:45 a.m. Monday, where she had been a patient the past few weeks.

She had been in gradually failing health for the past few months and had been a hospital patient previous to her last illness.

She was an active member of the St. Paul's Evangelical church at Petersburg before moving to Athens when she transferred her membership to the Athens Christian Church. She was married to Thomas Balster March 6, 1907, who preceeded in death July 13, 1955. They lived their entire married life on a farm between Athens and Petersburg previous to Mr. Balster's death.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Katherine Hopwood, Mrs. Irene Bennett and Mrs. Dorothy Barr, all of Athens; one brother, Fred Caldwell, of Fancy Prairie; one sister, Mrs. Anna Ransberger, of Marshall, Mo.; five grandchildren; and eight greatgrandchildren and a host of friends.

Funeral services were held from the Mott and Sons Funeral Home at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday with Rev. A.H. Sonius of Springfield in charge. Interment was made in Hall Cemetery.

Petersburg, July 13 - Thomas D. Balster, 75, a farmer and lifelong resident of Petersburg community, died at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday at St. John's Hospital, where he had been a patient for nine days.

Mr. Balster was born in Menard county May 22, 1880, the son of Henry and Sarah Lukin Balster. On March 6, 1907, he married Katherine Caldwell.

Surviving are his wife; three daughters, Mrs. Katherine Hopwood, Mrs. Irene Bennett and Mrs. Dorothy Barr, all of Athens; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The body was removed to Thompson, Harms & Hurley Funeral Home, Petersburg. At 1 p.m. Friday, the body will be removed to St. Paul's Evangelical & Reformed church, where funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Rev. Robert Niehaus officiating. Burial will be in Hall Cemetery at Athens.

Former Athens Young Woman Dies Suddenly in Milwaukee

Mrs. Mary Rebecca (Becky) Weikart, 21 years old and a bride of three weeks, died suddenly at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24 in Milwaukee, while riding in a car with her husband.

Mrs. Weikart, who had been legal secretary for the Springfield law firm of Wood and Wood for the past two years, was the former Mary Rebecca Barr of Athens. She was married on Saturday, June 3 in Immanuel Lutheran Church in Athens, to Robert Weikart, a recent graduate of Concordia Seminary in Springfield. He was appointed assistant pastor of a Milwaukee church and they went there for the summer. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Loren Barr, had been visiting them in Milwaukee, and left about 5 p.m. Saturday to return home. After her parents left, she and her husband went out to a restaurant for dinner, then went for a ride. They had not ridden far until she complained of being ill, and slumped across his lap. He drove immediately to the nearest hospital, and she was pronounced dead on arrival, the apparent victim of a heart attack, although she had had no previous history of heart attack.

She was born March 3, 1946, and is survived by her husband, Robert; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Loren Barr of Athens; and one brother, Thomas Barr, also of Athens.

The body was sent to the Mott and Son Funeral Home in Athens, and funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, conducted by Rev. Norbert Lucht, the pastor, and Rev. R.J. Schultz. Burial was in Hall Cemetery.