Virginia Thomas “Tommy” Fellner, 98, was born Aug. 30, 1913, in Belleville, Ill, and died at 10:50 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, 2011 at Rosewood Care Center in Edwardsville, Ill.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert G. Fellner, whom she married on Aug. 14, 1939 at St. Teresa Catholic Church in Belleville, Ill. and who died in Leesburg, Fla. on April 10, 1998; by her parents David Ogle and Elsa, nee Ropiequet, Thomas; by two brothers, Edward Thomas, and David Ogle Thomas, Jr.; and by a sister, Mary (Ernest G.) Hurst.
She is survived by two children, Ann (John) Spencer, of Glen Carbon, Ill. and Thomas G. (Lanelle) Fellner, of Edwardsville, Ill.; by three grandchildren, Robert Fellner, William (Lora) Fellner, and Elizabeth (Douglas) Meek and by a step grandchild, Matthew (Christi) Waddington; by seven-great grandchildren, Alexis and Jordan Fellner; Hannah, Katherine, Ryan, and Margaret Meek, and Colin Waddington; and by special friends Betty Reames, Donna Thornhill, and Marlin Hill.
Along with her daughter Ann Spencer, and granddaughter Elizabeth Meek, she was a member of the Edwardsville-Drusilla Andrews Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Illinois Cameo Society. Her great-grandchildren Hannah, Katherine, Ryan, and Margaret Meek are members of the Col. Benjamin Stephenson Society Children of the American Revolution.
Her ancestry was deeply rooted in St. Clair and Madison County history. Her revolutionary ancestor, Martin Randleman, came to St. Clair County before Illinois statehood. Hezekiah Kelley, a former shipbuilder from Norwich Connecticut, was in Madison County before 1820. His daughter Lucy came to Bond County with her husband Thomas Baker Wait Jr., who was selling books for his Boston publisher father. As a widow in the 1830's, Lucy Wait ran the Piasa boarding house in Alton and was a supporter of the abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy at the time of his assassination. Samuel Ogle and his wife Deborah Wollaston, came by wagon from Delaware in 1818, and settled on a farm in west Belleville. John Thomas was in Madison County prior to statehood, and his son, William Smith Thomas, was a surveyor for the National Road. The other strain of her ancestry were early German immigrants to Belleville, called "Latin farmers" because of their classical German education. Frederick Ropiequet was both a Mayor and Sheriff of Belleville. His wife Anna was the daughter of Hugo Wangelin, whose strong anti-slavery sentiments led to his joining, in his 40's, a Missouri Civil War Regiment made up of German immigrants.
Funeral: According to her wishes, she was cremated and no visitation or funeral will be held. Her ashes will be interred at Green Mount Catholic Cemetery in Belleville Ill.
Graveside services will be scheduled at a later date.