Ruckdaschel, Flora 1894 - 1912

RUCKDASCHEL

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 12/28/2014 at 15:27:27

Postville Review, Fri., 27 Dec. 1912.

The tenderest sympathies of the people of this community are with Mr. and Mrs. John Ruckdaschel and family, south of town, who, at this season of the year when the most of mankind is happy with cheer of Christmastide, are suddenly called upon to mourn the loss of their eldest daughter, Miss Flora, who died at Mercy Hospital, Dubuque, Monday afternoon, after an eighteen hours illness from peritonitis.

A few weeks ago Flora and her sister Lenora went to Dubuque to attend a sewing school, and as the holiday season approached the joys of the coming home for Christmas was anticipated with much pleasure by the girls and no less by the loved ones at home. Last Sunday the mother and two children with Mrs. William Kluss of this city went to Dubuque ________ shopping and accompany the girls home the afternoon of the following day. The girls met them at the depot and the gladness of the greeting and the joy of the thought "we're going home tomorrow" filled the hearts of all, and he who then would have predicted that 'ere that hour of the following day one of their number would be wrapped in the habiliments of death, would have been cast out as an evil spirit or one gone mad. The afternoon and evening hours passed pleasantly and all seemed well. Of a sudden Miss Flora was stricken about ten o'clock with severe abdominal pains and a physician was summoned. Her condition grew steadily worse and on Monday morning she was taken to Mercy Hospital, where despite all that tender care and medical skill could do to stay the ravages of the dread peritonitis, she passed away at 2:15 p.m., about sixteen hours from the time she was stricken. The father who had been notified that morning by phone, went down on the noon train, but arrived too late to see her alive.

The remains were shipped to Postville on the early Tuesday morning train, accompanied by the grief stricken parents.

Flora Ruckdaschel was born in Clayton county, July 27, 1894, and died Dec. 23, 1912, aged 18 years 4 months and 26 days. She was a lovable and dutiful daughter and a splendid young lady in every way, whose myriad friends mourn her untimely passing.

The funeral was held from the Lutheran church at 1:30 Thursday afternoon, Rev. Kuehne officiating. It was one of the largest gatherings of its kind ever assembled in Postville, the church being far to small to accommodate all who came to attend. Interment in the Postville cemetery.