Wilhelmina (Mrs. Martin) Bechtel

BECHTEL, FICKE, MEDFORD, JACKSON, POWELL, BIRDINE, PRESBY, REVOIR, MEYER, AHLSTEDT

Posted By: Diana Henry Diedrich (email)
Date: 2/18/2007 at 09:19:24

Three Tired Mothers at Rest

Mrs. M. Bechtel

Brief mention of the passing of this good lady was made in our last. Wilhelmina Bechtel was a native of Hockenheim, Baden, Germany, where she was born Dec. 2, 1849. Death took place Feb. 9th, after a short illness at her home in this city, where she had resided for over forty years. Her husband, Martin Bechtel, died Feb. 28, 1898. Two children were born to them, Elizabeth, who died in 1873, and John who survives her. Besides these she was foster mother to eight orphan girls. Deceased was a member of the German Presbyterian church and lived in the fear and love of God. The funeral was held from the church last Wednesday at 2 p.m. Rev. Kegel officiating and services were both in German and English. Beautiful floral tributes testified mutely to the esteem of friends but the genuine and unfeigned sorrow of the son and grief stricken girls who had known no other mother, gave stronger evidence of her true worth. Interment in Oak Hill.
Following are the girls who found a home with Mrs. Bechtel: Mrs. P.H. Ficke, St. Paul; Mrs. Carl Medford, Woodbine, Iowa; Mary Jackson, Josephine Powell, Lansing; Mary Birdine, now Mrs. Ralph Presby; Mrs. Susie Bectel, a niece, now Mrs. Lewis Revoir, Alexander, N. D.; Mrs. Aug. Meyer, Lansing, and Miss Elsie Ahlstedt, now married. The four first named were present at the funeral

Allamakee County Newspaper, Feb 1924