Elmer Bergmann 1903-1957

BERGMANN, REINKING, WALN

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 11/22/2016 at 09:56:39

16 May 1957 - The Clarence Sun

The community was saddened and stunned to learn Sunday night that Elmer C. Bergmann, 53, one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Mt. Vernon, had died in his home of a heart attack at about 8:45 p.m.

Services were held at the Presbyterian church, Mt. Vernon, on Wednesday, May 15th, 1957, at 2 p.m. in charge of the Rev. Karl Swanberg.

Pallbearers were J. B. Ringer, Dr. J. Harold Ennis, Dr. L. E. Bigger, Fred A. Young, Dr. E. C. Prall and James McCutcheon.

Although he had spent two weeks at St. Luke's hospital, Cedar Rapids, for treatment of a virus which developed following a business trip to Florida in March, Mr. Bergmann was believed to be regaining his strength. He had returned home from the hospital on Thursday noon.

His son Tom, who was studying upstairs, heard his father fall and rushed downstairs when he received no answer to his call. A doctor arrived shortly before Mr. Bergmann died.

Mrs. Bergmann had been fatally stricken by a cerebral hemorrhage just eight months to the day, and she succumbed on September 13th, 1956.

Elmer Charles Bergmann was born on a farm near Lowden on June 6, 1903 to Dick and Sophia Reinking Bergmann. He was the youngest of five children, including two brothers and two sisters, who with his parents predeceased him.

His youth was spent on a farm near Clarence. Early in life he was confirmed in the St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church in Clarence, transferring his membership to the Presbyterian Church in Mt. Vernon after moving there.

He was graduated from Clarence high school and in 1925 from the University of Iowa with a B.S. degree in commerce.

His business career included more than 30 years in the life insurance business. Since June 1955 he has been Midwest director of agencies for the National Life Insurance Co. of Montpelier, Vt. States included in his territory were Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North and South Dakota.

For the 16 years prior to 1955 Mr. Bergmann was associated with the Cedar Rapids general agency of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., first as cashier and later as assistant to the general agent.

From 1929 to 1939 Mr. Bergmann was associated with the National Life Insurance Co., serving the first four years as an agent in the company's Cedar Rapids general agency and the next six years as an agency auditor in the company's home office.

During the first four years following completion of his university course, Mr. Bergmann was an agent and supervisor in Davenport for Equitable Life Insurance Co. of New York.

Mr. Bergmann received his chartered life underwriter diploma on Sept. 25, 1947, at Cedar Rapids. He was a past president of the Cedar Rapids Association of Life Underwriters, and of the Mt. Vernon-Lisbon Rotary club. He also belonged to the General Agents and Managing Association of Cedar Rapids and the Cedar Rapids Estate Planning Council.

A man who was always keenly interest in the Mt. Vernon community, he had served as president of the Mt. Vernon Board of Education, had been a member of the Mt. Vernon Council, and had been Cub master and on the Scout Council of Troop 4 in Mt. Vernon. A very faithful member of the Presbyterian church, he had served for many years as an elder. He was a charter member of Hillcrest Country club and a member of the Cedar Rapids Country club.

On December 19, 1932, he was married to Helen Waln of Mt. Vernon. They resided in Cedar Rapids for a year and in Montpelier, Vt. for five years before moving to Mt. Vernon. One son, Thomas W. Bergmann, survives. He is a freshman in Mt. Vernon high school.