Albert Hrebec, 1889–1947
Albert Hrebec was born on 4 January 1889 to Matthias Hrebec and Anna Bokor. By 1900, Albert, age eleven, was an apprentice shoemaker at one of the many shoe factories in St. Louis. Al lived at 4161 Humphrey Avenue and Mary Trcka lived at 916 Russell when Al and Mary were married by Rev. John Nekula, on 16 April 1913, in the priest’s parlor.
Al worked as a shoe cutter at Johansen Brothers Shoe Company. He was of medium height and build, with brown eyes and black hair. His favorite hobbies were fishing and playing cards. Al and Mary were friends with a group of couples who went to Westco, Missouri, for fishing trips in rented cabins. Wesco is an unincorporated community in southwest Crawford County, Missouri. It is located on the Meramec River, approximately eight miles southwest of Steelville.
By 1920, Al and Mary lived at 2834 Arsenal Street. Al was born in the U.S., but both of his parents were born in Bohemia. Both Al and Mary could read and write, which was not always the case. Their son Warren was born on 29 June 1914 and after sixteen days of treatment for tubercular meningitis, he died on 19 May 1917. Their daughter, Bernice, was born on 20 November 1916 and lived in the Arsenal Street house with her parents.
In 1930, the Hrebec family lived at 4138 Juniata Street; their home was valued at $12,500. The house was occupied by Al, Mary, Bernice, and mother-in-law, Mary Trcka, age seventy-two. Al, Mary, and Bernice lived at the same address in 1940. Al continued to work at Johansen Brothers shoe factory and Bernice now worked as a clerk for the same company.
Al died at Alexian Brothers Hospital in 1947 when he was fifty-eight years old. Death was caused by congestive heart failure over a six-month period. A contributing factor was “auricular fibrillation due to hypertensive heart disease.” Burial occurred at Resurrection Cemetery.
Written by Judy Broleman
June 2020
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Last Modified: 04-Sep-2020 10:27