OFFERMAN, Rose Duster 1879-1938

OFFERMAN, DUSTER, KONZEN

Posted By: Dick Offerman (email)
Date: 2/8/2008 at 11:03:18

A Splendid Woman Sleeps In Death

Heart Attack Proves Fatal to Mrs. John Offerman Early Monday Morning. Funeral To Be Held Wednesday Morning.

Another lovable wife and mother of this community, the second in less than three weeks, was claimed in death early Monday morning when Mrs. John Offerman, of east of town, succumbed to a sudden heart attack. Mrs. Offerman, who apparently was well on the road to recovery from an attack of influenza, died at about three o'clock. Death struck very swiftly and Mrs. Offerman died peacefully and without a struggle. Her daughter, Dorothy, with whom she was sleeping, awoke just a few minutes before her mother died, and informs us that she was apparently sleeping normal when, without warning, her heart stopped and she stopped breathing. Needless to say her sudden passing was a great shock, not only to her family but to everyone who knew her.

The funeral rites were held Wednesday morning at ten o'clock at St. Bernard's Catholic church with Rev. A. C. Woerdehoff, pastor, reading the Requiem High Mass, delivering an appropriate sermon and officiating at Mt. Calvary cemetery where burial was made. A very large crowd was present to pay a final tribute to a woman whom everyone loved and admired.

The pallbearers were Joseph Frantzen, Clem Recker, Ben Kramer, John Conry, John Hentges, Joseph Weber, Nick Kolbert, Frank Hilsman and August Felder.

Rose Duster was born February 4, 1879, the daughter of Anton and Teresa Konzen Duster, at Holy Cross, Iowa. Here she grew to womanhood and on October 9, 1898, she was married to John Offerman in Holy Trinity Church at Luxemburg, Iowa, the late Father Oberbroeckling officiating. They settled on his family’s farm near Luxemburg and in 1909 the couple moved to Alta Vista where they continued to reside. Five children blessed this marital union, all of whom, together with the husband, live to mourn her passing. They are Reynold of Dyersville, Iowa; Aloys of Manchester; and Edmund, Cletus and Dorothy, all at home. She is also survived by one brother, Peter Duster of Rapid City, S.D. and five grandchildren, Joanne and Robert of Dyersville, Mary, John and Joseph of Manchester. Two sisters preceded her in death, Mrs. Peter (Susan) Speltz and Mrs. Theodore (Kate) Schneider.

As was stated in our opening paragraph, the death of Mrs. Offerman marks the passing of a truly splendid woman. Because of her lovable personality everyone admired her and held her in the highest esteem. For approximately thirty years this community was her home and in that time she endeared herself lastingly to everyone with whom she associated. Her characteristic kind hearted-ness and friendliness of disposition unwittingly won for her a warm spot in the heart of those with whom she came in contact and this genuine friendliness and kindliness was showered generously and unassumingly upon those around and about her. To her family she was all that a wife and mother could be, kind, tender, devoted and ever ready to make any sacrifice if it meant the comfort of those whom she loved most. Towards her friends and neighbors she was always considerate and was never known to shirk when an opportunity presented itself to lend a helping-hand or offer a kind word of encouragement. To her loved family circle and her associates her untimely death not only represents a great shock but an irreparable loss, because in her death they have been robbed of the wholesome influence of one to whom they looked for advice and guidance. She was a devout member of the Catholic Church, an active worker in the Rosary Society of her parish and spent her whole life in the performance of her duty towards her God and her fellowman. It is this knowledge of a life well spent that affords the bereaved family much consolation in its hour of sorrow. Even though she has passed to her fully deserved rich reward, her memory will continue to be a guiding influence to those who loved her best and miss her most. The Alta Vistan joins with the many friends of the bereaved family in extending sincere sympathy.

Among the relatives present at the funeral from a distance were Mr. and Mrs. Ray Wilhelm, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Keuter, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Hullerman, Rev. Father V. Hovermann, all of Dyersville, and Rev. Father J. J. Zeien of Dubuque; Anthony Konzen, Mrs. Henry Ungs, Mr. Mike Clemen, Mr. and Mrs. John J. Theisen and Lawrence of Holy Cross; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Ries of New Vienna; Mrs. Al Pins, Mr. and Mrs. Art Lammers, Dyersville.

The Alta Vistan section, New Hampton Tribune March 1938