Arthur Cervinka

Arthur A. Cervinka, Jr., 71, of Shoreham in St. Joseph, died peacefully at his home on Thursday, October 25, 2007. Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 29, at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, in St. Joseph. Burial will be private at a later date. Visitation with the family will be Sunday afternoon from 3:00 to 6:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Retired Teacher’s Association of Chicago. Friends wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book may do so online at www.starks-menchinger.com Arthur was born on September 2, 1936, in Chicago. He was one of four children born to Arthur and Loretta Cervinka. On November 25, 1961, he married Betsy Nelson in Fargo, ND. Together he had three daughters, Anne, Lisa, and Loretta. Arthur was passionate toward education and devoted his 37 year professional career toward teaching and advanced learning. In 1992, he was awarded Educator of the Year award. Arthur retired as Principal from Mather High School in Chicago. He kept active in the Retired Teacher’s Association of Chicago and the Phi Delta Kappa Educational Fraternity. He was known for his wonderful stories. “Everyone who knew him was touched by him.” He enjoyed doing things for others. Arthur “always filled the room with his presence and personality.” Above all, he always put his family first and was extremely pound of his children and grandchildren Arthur is survived by his wife Betsy; his daughters, Anne (Larry) Carlson of St. Peters, MO, Lisa Cervinka of Kansas City, MO and Loretta Mc Hugh of Leesburg, VA; 9 grandchildren, Erik, Kurt and Owen Carlson and Morgan, Danielle, Taylor, Shayna, Brooklyn, and Joseph Mc Hugh; and by his sister, Marilynn Van Vleet of Cincinnati. In addition to his parents, Arthur was preceded in death by two sisters, Loretta Daniels and Nancy Rehak.