Mildred Louise Offerman, daughter of Louis and Dora nee Kamp Niehaus, was born on February 10, 1925 in rural Florissant, MO. On March 29, 1925 she was baptized at Salem Lutheran – Black Jack, where she also confirmed her faith in June, 1940.
She helped on her family farm during her youth along with her brother and sisters. At the age of 19 she began working in the Ice Cream division of Quality Dairy where she remained for 3 and ½ years. This is where her lifelong love of ice cream began. Only chocolate topped ice cream on her list of favorite foods. At the age of 22, she entered the employ of Emerson Electric where she made motors and machine parts, and met Bud, her husband. She continued there until the birth of her daughter, after which she remained at home to care for her until 1972. She then went to Werner-Jenkinson where she peeled lemons needed for 7-up soda, which was being manufactured in St. Louis at the time. They only used the lemon peel, so she took many lemons home and everyone enjoyed lots of fresh lemonade. She remained there for 9 years until retirement in 1981.
On September 4, 1948 she married Clarence Alexander “Bud” Offerman with whom she enjoyed 53 years in the nuptial estate until his passing on November 13, 2001 at the age of 79 years. To this union a daughter Carol (John) Hemkens was born. She survives together with a granddaughter Christina (Rick, divorced) Schneider and grandson Justin Hemkens, along with great grandson Brady. She is also survived by her stepson Jerry Offerman and granddaughters Michelle (Scott) Robbins and Nicole (Nick) Damaso and great grandchildren Scottie and Olivia, and Allyssa and Abbigail. She has remained very close to her brother-in- law Melvin Sutton. She has been blessed with many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. Especially in the last 4 years, her great grandson Brady has brought her much joy. She was so happy he was close and could visit often. She was also blessed with many wonderful friends and neighbors.
Besides her husband, Mildred was proceeded in death by her daughter- in-law, Sandy Offerman, and her brother Raymond (Melba) Niehaus, and sisters Dorothy (Harold) Eggert, Ethel (Elmer, AL) Caldwell, Lorene, and Louise(Melvin) Sutton.
Mildred enjoyed generally good health and lived a simple life. She liked to listen to country music, play cards, plant flowers, attend church, and just to sit down and visit. She was a good listener and kind person. She was able to live independently until recently when the advances of age began to weaken her condition. In January she took ill and needed rehab at Nazareth center. She seemed to rally was able to get back to her own home for a short time, but fell and broke her shoulder on February 25. After about 3 weeks it was apparent that she would not be able to regain her strength and rehab, so was placed on hospice and taken to her daughter’s home to be cared for by her daughter and her husband. She continued there for only 4 days until her passing on Sunday, March 22, 2020 at 10:52 a.m. She departed peacefully, having attained the age of 95 years, 1 month, and 12 days. Her love of God and country music smoothed her passage to heaven as she took her last breath listening to Dolly Parton sing “On the Wings of a Dove”.
All Services are private. Interment will take place at Laurel Hill Cemetery, St. Louis, MO. A public memorial celebration of life for Mildred is planned for a later date to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mildred's memory are encouraged to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Missouri Chapter, 9370 Olive Blvd, Saint Louis, Missouri 63132 or American Parkinson Disease Association Saint Louis Chapter, 1415 Elbridge Payne Road, Suite 150, Chesterfield, Missouri 63017.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy are encouraged at www.HoffmeisterSouthCounty.com for the Offerman family.
