Joachim Gehrls 1848-1911

GEHRLS

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/23/2016 at 10:56:27

20 January 1911 - The Lowden News

Joachim Gehrls died at his home at Lowden Tuesday morning shortly after midnight of cerebral apoplexy at the age of 52 years, 8 months and 12 days.

Joachim Gehrls was born on May 5th, 1848, in Otendorf Mecklenburg, Schwerin, Germany. He came with his family to America in 1881 and has since resided in and near Lowden. He resided on a farm up to a few years ago, when he retired from farming and having bought a residence in town here, became a resident of Lowden.

Deceased was an industrious man and most of the time kept himself busy, even after his retirement from farm work. He often helped at the livery barn, driving livery teams to the country and neighboring towns for agents and also helped occasionally at the hitching up of teams and other work in the barn. Monday he also drove a team down town, the street was icy and slippery and the team started for a runaway, but Mr. Gehrls had them under control and stopped before they had gone a block. No harm whatever appeared to have been done but it is thought that this sudden excitement perhaps brought on the attack of apoplexy, the foundation of which very likely had been slowly building up before, as of late he had occasionally complained of severe headaches, although to all appearance, Mr. Gehrls was of good health. Two or three hours after he had taken the team down town, Mr. Gehrls complained of a severe headache and went to bed. About six p.m. he became unconscious and remained in that condition until death came early Tuesday morning.

Mr. Gehrls was a kind and loving husband and father, a good neighbor, an excellent citizen, a friendly man. All here were shocked to hear of his sudden death.

Besides his sorrowing widow there survives to mourn Mr. Gehrls' demise, six sons and one daughter, thirteen grandchildren and also two sisters and one brother (the latter residing in Germany) and many other near relatives and a host of friends. The whole community sympathizes deeply with the bereaved family.

Mr. Gehrls was a member of the Evangelical church. He also was a member of the local lodge of M. B. A., in which order he carried $2000 life insurance.

Funeral was held yesterday afternoon with services in the Evangelical church and burial at the Lowden cemetery. The services were conducted by Rev. Werning. The following members of the M.B. A. lodge were the pall bearers: F. W. Rix, Henry Von Muenster, Joe Freitag, Henry Von Roden, John Drichel and Otto Hilscher. There were several beautiful floral pieces. The attendance at the funeral was one of the largest ever seen here. From far and near friends had come to bid the last sad farewell to the departed.