Memorial for John Cerny

John Cerny of died at home on March 21 at the age of 76.

He was the husband of Patricia Letsinger Cerny for 56 years. He also was the father of Timothy M. Cerny (Jan Anderson Cerny) and Kimberly A. Cerny (Jay Divine); grandfather of Leslie Cerny, Albert Huebner, Jessica Huebner, Joshua Divine, and Madeline Divine; brother of Betty Rose Scott (Thomas M. Scott) and the late Jill Cerny Matter and brother-in-law of Barbara Letsinger Ziegenhorn. His nieces and nephews include John Matter, Matthew Matter, Robert Matter, Mary Matter, Michael Ziegenhorn, and Patricia Ziegenhorn. His parents were John M. Cerny and Mary Elston.

Visitation will be 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the in Eureka, 108 N. Central Ave. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday. Interment will be private.

Born on Sept. 25, 1935, in St. Louis, he was for 35 years the president of Cerny Floral Company of Webster Groves, a landmark on Lockwood Avenue where it was founded by his grandfather Augustus S. Cerny in 1925. He closed the business upon his retirement in 2001. He was president of the Webster Groves Chamber of Commerce, president of the Webster Groves Rotary Club, co-founder and president of the Mid-St. Louis County Rotary Club, a Paul Harris Fellow, and a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity at the University of Missouri, where he graduated in 1957.

A loyal and very active Mason, he was a member of Meramec Lodge No 313 A.F. & A.M. in Eureka and a past Worshipful Master and secretary. Other Masonic activities included Charlie’s Angels, Friday Friars, Scottish Rite, Pacific #129 O.E.S., and serving as chef for many, many pancake breakfasts.

In 1960, he built with his own hands a home for his family on a high hill outside Eureka with a breathtaking view of the Meramec River Valley. From there, over the years, he drove to work six days a week to preside as a trusted florist over thousands of weddings, graduations, business events, church services and funerals.

For fun, he enjoyed piloting his small aircraft, boating, operating heavy machinery, and operating a home machine shop. In later years, the family loved their time together at numerous family celebrations, especially at the family’s Lake of the Ozarks get-away. The grandchildren built many special memories attending their annual week-long “Camp Grummie and Grumpie” where they could be spoiled rotten without the supervision of their parents.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Cancer Society or Meramec Lodge No. 313 A.F. & A.M., P.O. Box 713, Eureka, MO  63025. 

Friends may sign the family’s online guestbook.