Josephine Mary Forck, of Vienna, was born on September 8, 1917, at Westphalia, a daughter of Joseph and Maria Bernadine (Knuever) Oldelehr, and departed this life at 7:20 a.m., on Sunday morning, January 4, 2015, in the Maries Manor Care Center, Vienna. Mrs. Forck had attained the age of 97 years, 3 months, and 27 days.

Mrs. Forck was untied in marriage on April 12, 1947, at Jefferson City, to Urban Joseph Forck, and to this union, five children were born. She was preceded in death by her husband, Urban, on September 24, 1998; one son, David Forck, on November 20, 1976; one son-in-law, Bernard Wieberg, on February 10, 2009; one grandson, Alex Hoffman, Jr., on September 5, 1998; one brother, Joseph Oldelehr; and five sisters, Cecilia Kliethermes, Coletta Tieman, Marie Kliethermes; Hilda Bailey; and Anna Hick.

Mrs. Forck was a member of the Holy Family Catholic Church, Freeburg; the Ladies Auxiliary of the Paul A. Hasenbeck Memorial American Legion Post No. 317, Freeburg; and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Argyle Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States of America Post No. 8045, Argyle. Activities she especially enjoyed included quilting, reading, playing Bingo, and gardening.

Mrs. Forck had been employed in housekeeping at the downtown Holiday Inn in Jefferson City for a number of years, and prior to her retirement in 1983, she had been employed in the Book Clubs Department at Scholastic, Inc., Jefferson City, for eleven and one-half years. Mrs. Forck was also a devoted wife, mother, homemaker, and a person that was always diligent in providing for the needs of her family.

Those left to mourn the passing of Mrs. Forck include: one son, Emil (Pamela) Forck, Prescott, Arizona; three daughters, Bernadine (John) Sydow, Prescott, Arizona; Norma Jean (Alex) Hoffman, Meta; and Geraldine Wieberg, Freeburg; special granddaughter, Stacy (Rick) Worthington, Wardsville; one daughter-in-law, Jan Howard, Freeburg; brother-in-law, Julius (Rita) Forck, Taos; sister-in-law, Marie Oldelehr, Westphalia; sixteen grandchildren; thirty great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Mrs. Forck at 11:00 a.m., on Wednesday morning, January 7, 2015, in the Holy Family Catholic Church, Freeburg, with the Rev. Nicholas J. Reid as the celebrant. Interment will be in the Holy Family Cemetery, Freeburg, next to her husband, Urban, under the direction of the Vienna Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes. Pallbearers for Mrs. Forck will be Bernard Wieberg, Jr., Lawrence Hoffman, David Forck, Jacob Howard, Rick Worthington, and Pat Bliss. Honorary pallbearers will be Alex Hoffman, Jr., Harold Hoffman, Bernard Hoffman, Wayne Boeckman, Scott Ross, David Shotwell, Daniel Conner, and Steve Kempker.

Memorial contributions in memory of Mrs. Forck are suggested by her family to Masses or to the Holy Family School with envelopes available at the Vienna Office of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes or in care of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, P.O. Box 250, Vienna, Missouri 65582.