Arthur C. Clemmings (1913 – 1992)

Arthur C. Clemmings was born on Thursday, April 3, 1913 in St. Louis, MO.   At the start of World War II, Uncle Art enlisted in the United States Army as a private.  He was assigned as a semi-skilled metal worker.  His term of enlistment, which began on September 2, 1942, was for the duration of the war plus six months.  Arthur was 29 years old at the time of his enlistment.  He was dishonorably discharged at the end of the war as a Sergeant.

On November 26, 1949, Arthur C. Clemmings became “Uncle Art”.  He married Bertha Johanna Mosblech at St. Maries of Victories Church.  They were both 36 years old.  Interestingly, Aunt Betty was born one day after Uncle Art on April 4, 1913.  Aunt Betty was the fourth of fourteen children born to Eduard and Magdalena Mosblech.  Uncle Art and Aunt Betty had two children, Kathleen and Arlene.

As kids we saw Uncle Art and Aunt Betty fairly regularly because they were my youngest sister Becky’s godparents.  We would go over to their house on Cologne Avenue on Christmas Eve before we went to Grandma and Grandpa Ellis’ house.  They had a small little home that Aunt Betty kept immaculate.  Uncle Art had some interesting miniature cars but the neatest thing he had was a train set.

He took Grandpa Ellis and me downstairs one day to show us his train set.  It took up a significant portion of his basement.  It consisted of a model town and a train that traveled through it.  For a twelve year old kid, it was one of the neatest things that I had ever seen.

Uncle Art also had a distinctive way of speaking.  He pronounced his words very distinctly.  Uncle Art also read quite a bit.  He also watched documentaries that he would tell us about when we visited on Christmas Eve.  Uncle Art’s precise way of doing things sometimes irritated Grandpa Ellis.

Grandpa thought that Uncle Art wasted money with all the additives that he put in his car.  Uncle Art’s careful way of pronouncing words could also irritate Grandpa.  I never quite understood this aspect of their relationship because Grandpa loved language.  Grandpa was always turning phrases in his personal letters.  Grandpa must have liked Uncle Art though.  Grandpa did not tolerate people he did not like.

The Mosblech Family had a rough time from 1988 to 1993.  A significant number of siblings and brothers-in-law passed away beginning with Uncle Francis Mosblech in 1988.  Uncle Art was one of the family that passed away during this time.  On Wednesday, September 09, 1992, Arthur C. Clemmings passed away at 79 years of age.

Grandma Ellis also passed away during this time on February 12, 1991.  Grandpa Ellis often drove both Aunt Betty and Aunt Dorothy Von Burg to their doctor’s appointments.  Eventually they would join Grandma in heaven but it would not be for several more years.

To Uncle Art, Arthur C. Clemmings, a kind, generous and intelligent man.

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