Cecilia Boeckmann Diener

Cecilia Mary Diener, formerly of Washington, Missouri, died at her retirement home in Wynne, Arkansas on February 5, 2011. Mrs. Diener was born Cecilia Mary Boeckmann on June 28, 1914, at the home of her parents, Henry C. Boeckmann and Rose Bieker Boeckmann, in rural Cross County, Arkansas. As an infant, Cecilia was afflicted with a serious illness, and not expected to survive. In preparation of the expected death of the baby, her father purchased a cemetery lot at Union Grove Cemetery, and a neighbor fashioned a crude coffin of oak wood. Cecilia miraculously survived no doubt as the result of the fervent prayers of her parents. Cecilia was educated in the Gailey Community Elementary School; she attended Vanndale High School, and later attended the East Central Community College in Union, Missouri. Cecilia left Cross County in the early 1930's, moving to St. Louis, where she and her cousin, Mae Weindel, worked as housekeepers. The two girls later moved to Washington, Missouri, to work in the Catholic hospital. It was from this hospital that Mae entered the convent, becoming Sr. Mary Virginia S. M., and Cecilia went to work in the local shoe factory. Cecilia's return to Washington was significant in that this was the place of origin for the Boeckmann family, which had immigrated to the United States in 1836, from the Province of Hanover in Germany. Her father, Henry C. Boeckmann, Sr., was born and reared in Washington, and moved to Cross County upon his marriage in 1913. Cecilia met and married Melvin Charles Diener and together they operated a farm. Melvin also worked for soil conservation and later the U.S. Post Office in St. Louis, and Cecilia converted the farm into a poultry farm where she maintained four state of the art chicken houses that had the capacity for 75,000 chickens that were processed through twice a year. Cecilia was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Solidarity Club and other civic and charitable committees and clubs. Oddly enough, Cecilia was active in the local Democratic organization while her husband, Melvin, was active in the Republican organization and for years, they each worked at the local polls at elections time for their respective political affiliations. Upon their retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Diener traveled in the United States and Europe. Following the death of her husband Melvin in 1997, Cecilia remained in Washington until it became necessary for her well-being to relocate closer to family in Wynne. Although remaining a resident of Washington, Missouri, Mrs. Diener spent most of the past few years of her life in Wynne, Arkansas, under the care of family and health care providers. Upon her 96th birthday in June, 2010, Mrs. Diener was honored with a congratulatory letter from Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe. Cecilia was preceded in death by her parents, Henry C. Boeckmann, Sr. and Rose Bieker Boeckmann; brothers, Henry C. Boeckmann, Jr. and Charles P. Boeckmann; a sister, Elizabeth Boeckmann Frein, and her husband, Melvin C. Diener. Cecilia is survived by brothers, Otto J. Boeckmann, William A. "Bill" Boeckmann and sisters, Edith B. Buehnerkemper, Joan B. Hess, Pauline B. Davis and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. A Funeral Mass will be read at St. Peter's Catholic Church on February 8, 2011 at 10 a.m. with burial to follow the next day at St. Francis Borgia Cemetery in Washington, Missouri. Kernodle Funeral Home of Wynne is in charge of arrangements in Wynne, and Nieburg-Vitt Funeral Home in Washington is in charge of the Missouri arrangements.