Opitz, Bertha (Planer) 1842 - 1916

OPITZ, PLANER, THILLEN, CONTER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 8/5/2021 at 20:31:23

Elkader Register & Argus, Thur., 30 Mar. 1916.

Bertha Planer was born in Morsdorf bei Roda, Germany, on March 2nd, 1842, and came to America with her two sisters on April 18th, 1868, residing first at Chicago, where she was married on October 10th of the same year to Fred Opitz. After their marriage they came to Elkader and a year later settled on a farm west of Elkader. They remained on the farm until the death of Mr. Opitz, which occurred on August 23rd, 1907, and a year later she moved to her home in Elkader, where she passed peacefully away March 27th, 1916, at the age of 74 years and 25 days. She had always enjoyed good health until December of 1914, when she began to fail and later diabetes set in which was the cause of her death.

Mrs. Opitz was the mother of seven children, three of whom preceded her to the Great Beyond. The surviving children are Mrs. Henry Thillen and Max Opitz, of this place, and Richard and Emma at home. She also leaves ten grandchildren, one sister, Mrs. John Conter, of Carroll, Iowa, and one brother, Fred Planer, of Pierce, Neb.

The funeral services were held this (Thursday) afternoon at two o'clock at the Ev. Friedens Church, Rev. C. H. Franke officiating, with interment in the east side cemetery.