Bernard H. "Ben" Thole, 76, of Albers, died Tuesday, July 3, 2007 at Countryside Manor in Aviston. He was born March 22, 1931 in St. Rose, son of Henry and Anna (Vonder Haar) Thole. He married Janet E. Heckenkemper August 17, 1955 at St. George Church in New Baden and she survives in Albers.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by five sons, Lavern Thole and wife Terry, Norman Thole and wife Cathy, Cletus Thole, Arnold Thole, and Bernell Thole; three daughters, Cynthia Brandmeyer and husband Mark, Anita Thole and Karen Thole; 13 grandchildren and three great grandchildren; two brothers, Edmund Thole and wife Esther and Ralph Thole and wife Margaret; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Lucille Thole, Victoria Thole, and Jerome and Mary Ann Heckenkemper.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Felix Thole; two brothers, Louis Thole and Alfred Thole; two sisters, Marie Wessel and Henrietta Thole; and a brother-in-law, Lawrence Wessel.

Mr. Thole was a farmer. He was a veteran of the United States Army and he was a member of St. Bernard Parish in Albers and the Clinton County Farm Bureau.

A funeral mass of Resurrection will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday July 6, 2007 at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Albers with Msgr. Don Eichenseer officiating. Interment will follow at St. Bernard Cemetery in Albers.

Friends may call from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday, July 5, 2007 and from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Friday, July 6, 2007 at Hempen Funeral Home in Albers. There will be a prayer service at 4 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois, the American Heart Association or St. Bernard Parish and will be received at the funeral home.