A funeral will be held Tuesday, July 1, 2025 for 79-year-old Carla Mae Minnemann of Red Bud, Illinois, who passed away at 3:03 pm, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. Carla passed peacefully at Oak Hill Nursing Home after a brave and grace-filled battle with cancer, surrounded by love.
She was born May 6, 1946 to the late Arnold and Naoma (née Drury) Steibel on May 6, 1946, in Red Bud, Illinois. Carla grew up in the close-knit community of Prairie du Rocher, Illinois.
She later married the love of her life, Vernon H. Minnemann, on August 26, 1967, in her hometown, where the two built a life full of love, laughter, and lasting memories. Together, they raised one daughter, their beloved Darla Faye.
Carla was a homemaker at heart and had a gift for making others feel at home, as well as enjoying a good laugh with a joke. She found joy in caring for others and making even the simplest moments feel special. She found happiness in sewing, babysitting, and card games (especially Canasta), and spending time with her family and friends, most especially her daughter and son-in-law, who were the heart of her world. Christmas time meant homemade chocolate candies, with her famous turtles being a crowd favorite. She also worked at the laundromat in Red Bud for a time.
She was a lifelong loyal fan of the color red and never missed a chance to spot a cardinal,
and cheered on her favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals. After Vernon’s passing on October 7, 2001, Carla found companionship with a special friend, James Wittenborn, and moved to Athens, Alabama, where she spent several years. Following James’s passing, she returned to Illinois, where she spent her final years at Cedarhurst and Magnolia Terrace Assisted Living in Waterloo, IL.
Carla’s faith and connection to the community were rooted in her affiliation with St. Joseph Catholic Church in Prairie du Rocher until she moved to Alabama.
She leaves behind a legacy of love and is survived by her loving daughter and son-in-law, Darla and Jim Baker of Red Bud, Illinois; her sister, Fay Stamm; and many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews, as well as many cherished friends who will carry her memory with them always.
Visitation: Tuesday – 9:30 am – 11:30 am
Pechacek Funeral Homes, Red Bud, Illinois
Funeral Service: 11:30 am, Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Pechacek Funeral Homes, Red Bud, Illinois
Officiating: Pastor Matt Friz
Interment: Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
St. Louis, Missouri
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly invites memorial contributions in Carla’s honor to the American Cancer Society or the American Diabetes Association.
Carla’s love was the kind that wrapped you up and stayed with you, and it always will. Her presence will be deeply missed, and her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.
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