Albert Preston, who watched with care the comings and goings of Francis Howell North students, died Tuesday at his St. Peters home. He was 90 years old and had been a hall monitor for 15 years, until the time of his death.
Albert had just returned from a 3˝-week trip to South Africa with family members when he fell and broke his neck on Jan. 4, according to Donna Chapin, his daughter.
He went to a rehabilitation center and caught pneumonia and was in and out of the hospital until he returned home under hospice care.
Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Friday at Young & Sons Chapel in Perryville, with an American Legion wake at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue 6:30-8 a.m. Saturday.
The memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Crosstown. Burial will be in the church cemetery with a military graveside service by VFW Post 4282 and the Delta Team.
Albert was born in Lithium and graduated from Perryville High School. He married his high school sweetheart, Verna Marie Corse, in 1941. She preceded him in death in 2002.
The Suburban Journal profiled Albert in a story that appeared Dec. 10, 2006.
That story mentioned Albert’s rapport with students, including those who carried a picture of Albert, who had begun passing out his photo because students over the years had been giving him their yearbook photos.
Most often, Albert said, the boys would talk to him about their cars. Occasionally, a student would want to discuss religion. When asked, Albert would share his wisdom on matters of the heart.
Albert not only talked, but listened as well. "The kids will tell you things that they probably would not tell their parents," he said.
One day during the 1999-2000 school year a student told Albert this, "You know, Al, I’m going to go home and kill myself tonight."
Albert asked why.
"We’re not getting along well at home," the student replied.
"You wouldn’t do anything like that," Albert said.
"Yes, I would." And the boy left.
Albert informed counselors. The mother was notified and left work early to be home when her son returned, Albert said back in 2006. The boy did not kill himself. Later, he graduated.
Albert worked 20 years for General Motors and retired in 1984. His daughter encouraged him to sell candy at North High, which blossomed into the hall-monitor job.
"I got a liken for these kids and I thought it would be a good job and I’d make a little money on the side," he said.
Albert is survived by one son and one daughter — Terry (Sharon) Preston of New Port Richey, Fla., and Donna (Byron) Chapin of St. Peters; one brother and one sister — Grace Statler of St. Charles and Wilbert Preston of Ferguson; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and a former daughter-in-law.
Memorials may be made to the "Al Preston FHN Scholarship Fund" at Francis Howell North High School. Contributions can be mailed to Regions Bank, 229 Spencer Road, O’Fallon, MO 63366.
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