Victoria (Cervantes) Meyer Karches

Virginia, Catherine, Victoria, Augustine Jr., and Lucius circa 1918

Victoria (Cervantes) Meyer Karches

Alfonso’s Sister

Victoria Cervantes married Edward Meyer in 1930. To this marriage, Victoria Meyer was born shortly before Edward abandoned his wife and daughter.

Victoria and her daughter Victoria, known as Vicky, lived with Nana (Victoria Kussenberger Cervantes) while Vicky was in grade school. Edward Meyer was missing for many years. Many years later while he was living in California, A. J. Cervantes saw Edward on a beach. Victoria was then able to start divorce proceedings.

In 1942, Victoria married her childhood sweetheart, Irvin Karches, before he departed for military service in England during World War II. The Karches and Cervantes families were neighbors on Juniata Avenue, thus Irvin and Victoria met as children.

The Karches family, Irvin, Victoria, and Vicky moved to Kirkwood after the war. Irvin adopted Vicky while she was in high school after receiving permission from Ed Meyer, who still lived in California.

Victoria was an attractive, slim woman, intelligent and very private. She was meticulous with her manners and her home was always very neat. In 1955, Victoria, known as Tory to the family, was the vice-president of A. J. Cervantes & Co. She also served as the secretary to Raymond Tucker, former mayor of St. Louis, when he was the city’s smoke commissioner. She also served as secretary to her brother, Alfonso, while he was mayor of St. Louis from 1965 to 1973 (though her salary came privately from Alfonso not the city, as that would have been nepotism).

Victoria (Cervantes) Meyer Karches