| WESLEY A. HOCHGRABER |
Mr. Wesley Andrew Hochgraber, 81, of 3304 Harrison, died at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday (September 10, 2003) in his home. Born April 25, 1922 in Adams County, Illinois, Wes was the son of Esra and Dorothy Blickhan Hochgraber. He married Elizabeth "Betty" Roehl on September 23, 1950 in Carthage, Illinois. She survives. Wes and Betty celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2000. Wesley attended Adams and Webster schools and graduated from Quincy High School in 1940. He served his country in the U. S. Air Force from October 4, 1942 to January 6, 1946 with the 93rd Airdrone Squadron in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines, receiving two Bronze Battle Stars. Wes was a member of Madison Park Christian Church and the EverReady Class. He was also a member of the Elks Lodge No. 100 in Quincy. Wes and Betty traveled extensively throughout the United States in their motorhome, wintering in Arizona and Florida. They made several trips to the Netherlands to visit friends there. Wes always had a love for animals. From the time he was a small boy he had pet squirrels. He later had a dog, a monkey, two pet foxes, which he raised from pups, and a pet crow, who would fly to meet Wes every night coming home from work. He passed his love of animals to both his daughters and grandchildren. Wes was self employed in the house moving business, starting in 1946. He moved houses extensively in Illinois and Missouri, particularly moving all of the buildings on the right-of-way for the State of Missouri from Palmyra to Monroe City for the construction of Highway 24. He was instrumental in the moving of the log cabin to 13th & State for the Quincy Historical Society in 2002. He also moved several log cabins to Quinsippi Island for the Quincy Park District and raised many camps along the bay after the flood of 1973. He moved machinery and equipment for many of the industrial factories of Quincy and Hannibal and was instrumental in repairing the steeple at Salem Church. Survivors include his wife, Betty; two daughters, Sandra Sue Whittaker and her husband Roger and Carol Ann Keller and her husband Ken all of Quincy; three grandchildren, Shaun Whittaker, Heather Keller and Sarah Keller all of Quincy; two brothers, Virgil Hochgraber and his wife Ramona and Earl Hochgraber and his wife Joan all of Quincy; and several nieces and nephews. Mr. Hochgraber was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Edgar "Ted" Hochgraber, who was killed in action in France on August 14, 1944. Funeral services will be held Monday morning at 10:00 in Madison Park Christian Church by Pastor Larry Smith, Pastor Keith Ehresman and Pastor Dennis Hochgraber. Burial will be in Greenmount Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday evening from 4:00 to 8:00 in the Zehender Robinson Stormer Cookson Funeral Home and Monday morning from 9:00 until the time of services at Madison Park Christian Church. Memorials may be made to Madison Park Christian Church or the Blessing Foundation for Hospice. |