Cordelia Buck Stumberg

Cordelia Buck Stumberg, 98, died in the comfort of her home in St. Charles, Missouri, on January 17, 2018. She succumbed to influenza after a week in the hospital. She was born Cordelia Mae Buck in Little Rock, Arkansas, on October 13, 1919, to Lola Richardson Buck and Arthur Buck. Her brother AB Buck lived for many years in Forrest City, Arkansas. She was a musical prodigy, and she led many performances at Central High School in Little Rock. She met her husband, Henry Kriete Stumberg when she was a student at Lindenwood College. They were married in June 1941 and settled in St. Charles just in time for Kriete to serve in the Army during WW II. He survived the war, and she survived his relatives. After a long career as an attorney and civic leader, Kriete died in 1999. Cordelia carried on for another 19 years. Starting out as a teacher, Cordelia raised her two children and then returned to teaching music for 17 more years in the St. Charles County Schools. She earned a Masters in Music from SIU Edwardsville and studied the Orff-Schulwerk method of education in Europe. After retiring as a teacher, Cordelia served as one of the first women on the board of directors of the First State Bank. She carried her passion for music into the community as a founder of the Missouri Choral Society and a board member of the Crescendo Concert Series. She also was active in the St. Charles County Historical Society. In 1989, she received the Lifetime Distinguished Service Award from the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. And in 2002, she received the Individual Lifetime Achievement Arty Award from the St. Charles County Arts Council. Cordelia is survived by two children, two grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Her daughter, Sally lives in St. Charles, and her son, Robert lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Her granddaughter, Anna Eirich lives in Stephens City, Virginia, with her husband Chad and great-granddaughters, Eloise and Gabriella. Her grandson, Ehren Halse lives in Larkspur, California, with his wife Jennifer, great-granddaughter, Eva, and great-grandsons, Owen and Enzo. She is also survived by her nephews, Bruce and Brantly Buck, who live in Little Rock, Arkansas. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to either the Cordelia Stumberg Fine Art Scholarship, c/o Lindenwood University, attn. Kate O'Neill, 209 Kingshighway, St. Charles, Missouri 63301, or to the St. Charles Presbyterian Church, Gamble and Sibley Streets, St. Charles, Missouri 63301. The family is planning a memorial service at the Presbyterian church at 11 a.m. on Saturday March 10th, with lunch in the fellowship hall following the service.