Joan M. “Bonsie” Vittoe, 76, of Festus died Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, at Baisch Nursing Center of De Soto. She was born Nov. 9, 1944, in St. Louis, daughter of the late Jewel Evelyn (Wooldridge) and Ernst Gerhard Fricke.
Mrs. Vittoe was a life-time member of First Baptist Church of Festus/Crystal City, where she served as a Sunday school teacher, children’s church worker, buyer and bagger for the church food pantry, buyer and baker for the Wednesday Senior Adult Bible study groups, part time church office worker and assistant custodian. She also was a licensed beautician and a department manager at the former Golde’s/Kline’s department store for 15 years.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years: Robert L. “Bob” Vittoe of Festus; two sons: Robert “Rob” Vittoe of Festus and Andrew (Tracy) Vittoe of Festus; three grandchildren: Brittany (Andrew) Ervin of De Soto, Dylan (Kassie) Vittoe of Festus and Alex Vittoe of Festus; one great-grandson: Nolan Scott Ervin of De Soto (another Ervin great-grandson is due to arrive in January); two brothers: Karl (Marilyn) Fricke of Festus and Paul (Eileen) Fricke of Festus; a sister: Janet (Charlie) Cooke of Honolulu, Hawaii; her toy poodle, Annie Marie “Rhea” Vittoe; and numerous other extended family.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her beloved “Little Grandma,” Cora M. Wooldridge and her beloved cock-a-poo, Loki Vittoe.
Private burial is in Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens in Crystal City. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at First Baptist Church of Festus/Crystal City, 107 N. Truman Blvd. in Crystal City. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Festus/Crystal City.
Arrangements were under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home in Festus.