Teri’s and Frankie’s Blog

Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Cole of Shattuc celebrated their 75th wedding- anniversary with a party at Odin Healthcare Center given in their honor by their son Randy, his wife, Marlene, and daughter Julie. The couple thanked everyone for attending and for the gifts, flowers and cards. Maxine’s 94th birthday was also celebrated during the gathering. Cake, ice cream and punch were served. Maxine Heinzmann and Wesley Cole were married on Aug. 20, 1935, in the Methodist Church Parsonage in Salem.

Virginia L. Cherry, 88, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois passed away at 6:27 P.M. on Sunday, August 29, 2010 at Oakview Heights in Mount Carmel, Illinois.

She was born on Monday, June 26, 1922 in Jefferson County, Illinois the daughter of the late Louie J. and Sadie M. (Keef) Thereon.  She married Neil F. Cherry on December 7, 1946 in Carlyle, Illinois and he preceded her in death on December 3, 1996.

Surviving family members include her 2 daughters: Arvilla Willmore and husband Ron of Tremont, Illinois and Carolyn Meador and husband Troy of Mount Carmel, Illinois; 5 grandchildren: Matthew Willmore and wife Shannon, Bryan Willmore and wife Amy, Amy Jo Sigler and husband Jason, Tyson Meador and wife Morgan and Sarah Porter and husband Jon; 10 great grandchildren: Hailynn, DeLaney, Kenzie, Cash, Aliza and Dylan Willmore, Clara and Lily Sigler, Brady Porter and Shain Meador; sister: Marcella F. Raupp and husband Neal of Kansas City, Missouri; sister-in-law: Dorothy Thereon of Kansas; several nieces and nephews also survive.

Her parents, husband and one brother: Donald J. Thereon preceded her in death.

Yesterday, 10 Nov 2009, I received a letter that said, “Final Notice…” “Failure to comply…”  “…Full Payment by 11/12/09″ “Amount Due: $18.66″

Obviously, I’m a bum and the collection agencies are after me but this is the first I had heard of this bill.

When I called the 800 number on the notice, I was told something about because of prank phone calls I would have to leave my account number and phone number and they would call me back within 24 hours.  I then called Methodist Stone Oak Hospital but their billing department had gone home for the day.  They send me notice on the 10th to pay by the 12th but they give themselves 24 hours to respond?

I went on line to check out this bill through my insurance.

Teri had a procedure at the hospital on 21 May 2009.  The hospital expected my share of the bill to be $1,199.40 and they wanted that up front so I paid it on 21 May 2009.

The last week of July, the hospital sent me bill saying we owed $154.24 additional.  I paid it and they received the check on 3 Aug 2009.

I never received a bill for $18.66.

This afternoon, I receive a return call from “Methodist Healthcare - Profees” and they tell me that this bill was the FIRST bill sent on this matter and it was also the FINAL bill.  I was told this was a company policy for small bills.  After a explained I thought this was rude and wanted an apology, I was told, “That’s not going to happen.”  I asked to speak to a supervisor and was transferred to a busy signal!

I called back and told the next lady what happened.  She was very polite and said she would connect me with her supervisor.  She put me on hold but kept coming back on the line to tell me she was going to get my connection through.

When the supervisor came on line, she was much more rude than the very first lady.  She said sending FINAL notice as the first notice was a company policy driven by the economy and approved by the physicians using their billing service.  This was the first I found out that “Methodist Healthcare - Profees” was NOT the same as the Methodist Hospital System.  I asked to speak to her supervisor or someone that could do something about this policy and she told me no one could do anything about it.  I could either pay the bill or they would turn it over to a collection agency.  I asked her if the company was publically or privately owned and she said it was private.  Then I asked to be put in contact with one of the owners.  At that point she agreed to transfer me to her supervisor.

The supervisor, Tammy Heard, came on the line after a short wait and she was very polite.  She explained it was a policy adopted by the physicians that use their company and she did apologize that it had offended me.  She said she would express the impact this policy was having on customers when she had a chance.  Bottom line, she was very polite.  She explained that the physicians board had made a decision that it was not cost effective to send first, sometimes second and third billings, before sending a FINAL NOTICE, thus they had adopted this policy.

I sent them the money.  They should have it in one week but I still feel their process is RUDE.

I tried to express my opinion to the doctor that is using this service, Dr. Jean Liu, but when I called his number, his own billing staff did not know anything about his use of Methodist Healthcare - Profees as a billing agency.

So much for customer relations!

This was printed in the 23 August 2009 edition of The Sentinel, Centralia, IL

HEINZMANN FAMILY
Members of the Clemens W. and Louisa (Wedekemper) Heinzmann family met Aug. 2 for their 68th family reunion. The celebration was held at the Community Building in Hoffman with 44 attending.
Frankie and Teri Heinzmann of Universal City, Texas, were coordinators for this year, with Paul and Martha Heinzmann set to serve as planners for the 69th reunion to be held Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010.
Those in attendance from Illinois were:
CARLYLE - Lester and Mary Heinzmann.
CENTRALIA - Henrietta Schmitz; Virginia Heinzmann; Darrel and Mary Francis Ahlf; Warren and Carolyn Dobbs; Dan, Martha and Matt Dobbs; Clint and Julie Ahlf; Brad, Terri, and Casey Dobbs; Randy, Marlene, and Julie Cole; Megan and Kaitlin Chillson; Dan Sprohe; and Paul and Martha Heinzmann.
JERSEYVILLE - Nancy Myers.
ODIN - Josh and Cara Marner; Troy and Jana Norman.
PEORIA - Dean and Sara Heinzmann.
SALEM - Vivian Heinzmann.
WALNUT HILL - Roger and Valoria Heinzmann.

Those in attendance from out-of-state were:
ST. LOUIS - Michelle Myers.
PADUCAH, Ky. - Shirley Russell; Aubrey and Betty Lippert.
NEW JERSEY - Christel Walker; Phyllis Johnson; Kirk and April Johnson.
TEXAS - Frankie and Teri Heinzmann.
Pictures of family, both present and past, were on display, and the Heinzmann geneaology dating back to 1605 was made available to those present by Frankie Heinzmann, compiler of this researched document.

We lost another family member last week. Wib was very special to me. I remember my father always teasing Wib about how much younger Wib was than my father. Dad was born 22 January 1915 and Wib was born 10 March 1915. My prayers go out to Wib’s wife, Henrietta, my first cousin once removed and to Wib’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and all the spouses.

Frankie

Wilbert Schmitz
CENTRALIA - Wilbert “Smitty” H. Schmitz, 94, of Centralia died Sunday, May 3, 2009, at Centralia Fireside House in Centralia.
He was born on March 10, 1915, in Clinton County, son of Theodore and Emma (Ahlf) Schmitz. He married Henrietta Heinzmann on October 22, 1937, in Carlyle, and she survives him.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Schmitz is survived by a daughter, Carolyn Dobbs and husband Warren of Centralia; two grandchildren: Daniel Ray Dobbs and wife Martha and Bradley Allen Dobbs and wife Terri, all of Centralia; five great-grand­children, Matthew, Leah, and Casey Dobbs, and Megan and Kaitlin Chaillson.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Nelson.
Mr. Schmitz was a mechanic at the Ford Garage for over 25 years until his retirement. He liked to reconstruct wrecked cars as a hobby, and was an avid quail hunter. He also loved to sing and play the harmonica. The most impor­tant part of his life was his family.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. today at Hillcrest Funeral Home Lakeside Chapel in Centralia with Pastor Ron Ruggles officiat­ing. Entombment will follow at Hillcrest Lakeside Mau­soleum.
Memorials may be made to the St. Peter United Church of Christ and will be accepted at the funeral home.

Just found out today that Pat Keister passed away.  Pat was the wife of my second cousin, Gary Keister. Here is her obituary:

Pat Keister
PATOKA - Pat A. Keister, 64, of Patoka died on Friday, Jan. 23, 2009, at her home in Patoka.
She was born Dec. 22, 1944, in St. Louis, daughter of Mayford Edward Meyer, and was raised by Alice and Jim Logue. She married Gary D. Keister on Aug. 10, 1965, in Sandoval, and he survives in Patoka.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Keister is survived by two daughters, Angie Braddock and husband Harry of Patoka and Beth Orrell and husband Tater of Shattuc; two grandchildren, Casey Braddock and Bradley Braddock, both of Patoka; and a sister, Sharon Walker and husband Ben of Morton.
Mrs. Keister lived in Patoka her whole life. She was a homemaker and farm wife, assisting in every aspect of the farm for many years. She was a member of the Patoka Baptist Church and the International Harvester Club Chapter 32. She was an avid doll collector and enjoyed attending III tractor shows. The family remembers her as a loving wife, mother and granny to her family.
Celebration of life services will be held at 11 a.m. today at the Patoka Baptist Church in Patoka with the Rev. David Rogers, the Rev. Dwayne Ambrose and the Rev. Terry Sims officiating. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park near Centralia.
Friends may call from 8:30 to 11 a.m. today at the church.
Memorials may be made to the VNA - Tip Hospice and will be accepted at the church or Day Funeral Home in Patoka.
Online expressions of sympathy may be sent to www.dayfuneralhomes.com.

A quote from a fellow genealogist, Wayne Hinton, that reminds us of the service:

Where will you be?

Eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month

Veterans Day 2008

Thank You to all the veterans across the nation for your bravery, your courage, and your love of this country. Many may forget, but there are those of us will always proudly remember.

Genealogists and Historians should think about how much respect they show at local Veterans Day Observances. We research the military information and data about wars, but do we only care about dates and data and forget that this represents real people with cares, feelings, and loving family members.

We join Wayne in a “humble salute to those who gave their life, so we could have ours.”

This is hard.  When I was just a baby, my sister started dating this skinny kid called Doug.  I don’t remember the start.  I do remember sitting on the sofa between my sister and Doug — generally making a pest of myself.  I also remember carrying the ring pillow at their wedding.  I was 6 years old and had a history of being remarkably clumsy but still, they let me carry the real ring and it wasn’t even tied on.

This preamble is just a way of saying, I do not ever remember a time when it was not PA and Doug.  I remember my mom reading the letters from PA and Doug.  Then along came Kirk and Heather and the letters were from PA, Doug, and Kids.  The kids grew up and the letters changed to emails and phone calls.  Somewhere in the middle of that, it became Doug and PA.

All of this changed, suddenly and without warning on 17 Oct 2008.  Doug has certainly left a legacy.  His children are wonderful — his grand-children are dynamic — He loved them all so dearly.  He literally took them around the world with him.  He touched more people than can ever be imagined.  He wrote books, built churches, saved souls.  He led a full and rewarding life but he left us too soon.

Dr. Reverend Douglas W. Johnson
JOHNSON Reverend Dr. Douglas W., of Ridgewood died October 17, 2008. Beloved husband of Phyllis (nee Heinzmann). Loving father of Kirk and wife April Johnson of Fair Lawn; Heather and husband Greg Walker of Ho-Ho-Kus; Kirsten and husband John Sharo of Midland Park; Tara and husband Evan Johnson of Midland Park. Adoring grandfather of Christel, Cole, Cory, and Carson Walker, and Stephanie, Patrick, and Ella Sharo. Devoted brother of Alex and wife Sherry Johnson, Wayland and wife Diana Johnson, Ralph and wife Sandy Johnson, Geraldine and husband Joe Oram, and the late Jerry Johnson. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Ridgewood. Rev. Johnson was listed in several editions of ‘Who’s Who’, and had authored 18 books and numerous articles. He taught sociology at Western Connecticut State College, and served several churches in Illinois and Massachusetts. In addition, he was the Director of Research for the National Council of Churches and for the General Board of Global Ministries for the United Methodist Church. He owned and operated American Home Entertainment in Ridgewood from 1992-2006. His family was incredibly important to him, and he always organized family trips. Rev. Johnson cooked family dinner for 17 every Sunday. Funeral Services will be Wednesday 10:00 AM at the Ridgewood United Methodist Church, 100 Dayton St., Ridgewood. Visiting hours today 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the Feeney Funeral Home, 232 Franklin Avenue, Ridgewood. In lieu of flowers, donations to Ridgewood United Methodist Church, 100 Dayton St., Ridgewood, NJ 07450 –OR- The Smile Train, 41 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor, NY, NY 10010 (www.smiletrain.org) would be appreciated. feeneyfuneralhome.com

Seems my old email account with all the spam filters, etc. has stopped working.  I’m not even receiving spam.  The provider is converting to a new system but in the mean time, nothing.

There are several ways to Contact Us.  You can leave a comment on this blog or go to our Contact Us page for more solutions.

Frankie

I can’t believe I let the whole month of August go by without posting an update!  Teri and I were busy, first preparing for the family reunion, then preparing for the trip to Illinois, then two weeks on road.  When we made it back from the trip, we had only two weeks and we were back on the road again, this time for four days to the Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in Texas.

Anyhow, I have updated the Years of Reunions report to list the names as published in The Sentinel.  I have also updated the Surnames report.  I’ll get to the on-line database shortly.

Frankie