Wahls, Henrietta Margaret (Boller) 1870 - 1933

WAHLS, BOLLER, FUNK, FUELLING, RISDON

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

Clayton County Register, Thur., 06 July 1933.

Mrs. Henrietta Margaret Wahls, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Boller, was born on June 14, 1870, in Schleswig, Holstein, by Wangell, Germany. Soon after birth she was made a child of God by the sacrament of Holy Baptism.

In 1883, she, together with her parents, left Germany and sailed for America, settling in Boston, Mass. After several years they left Boston and settled in Clayton county, Iowa, which has been the home of the deceased ever since.

Here in Clayton county she made her home with her parents and was employed in various homes in the community. True to her church, when she had reached the proper age, she was confirmed in the Lutheran church at Clayton Center, making there a promise of faithfulness to her church, a promise which she also kept. On Aug. 12, 1898, she was joined in marriage with Mr. Fred Wahls. This happy union was blessed with three children, Hortense, Clarence, and Elvira, and an adopted child Lorado, as well as Ervin of a former marriage. After many years on the farm and in the vicinity of Farmersburg, she, together with her husband, retired to make their home in Farmersburg.

Throughout her life she suffered much in the way of various illnesses, but she herself in writing has said, "My illness has taught me to pray often to our God and Saviour. My trust and my faith in God has time and again given me strength and patience." On June 16th she was again stricken with gall trouble, which caused her intense suffering and did not again permit her to leave her bed. Even though her husband sought the help of various doctors and had a nurse come into the home, yet no relief could be found. At times her pains became so severe that she felt she could bear them no longer. That Saturday and again on the following Friday she told her husband that she felt sure that she would not again recover from this attack. On Thursday evening she partook of the Holy Communion which was to be her strength in the valley of the shadow of death. The latter part of the week she fell into a coma and finally on Monday afternoon, June 26th, due to cancer and gall bladder trouble she passed away at the age of 63 years and 12 days.

She was a member of St. John's Lutheran church at Farmersburg and also a member of the Frauen Verein, an organization of this church. For the past two years she has served as president of this organization. She wrote regarding the church and the Frauen Verein, "I gladly went to church and found it a pleasure to work with and for the Frauen Verein." May this be the sincere expression of a heart that truly loved its God and rejoiced in this love, by showing it in deeds of thankfulness.

She leaves to mourn, her devoted husband, Mr. Fred Wahls; her two daughters, Mrs. Arno Funk of Clayton Center, and Mrs. Milo Fuelling, also of that place, and their husbands; her son Clarence, and wife, of Farmersburg; the adopted child, Loraldo, and Ervin Wahls, and wife, of St. Olaf. Also five grandchildren, besides her two brothers, Charlie Boller of Strawberry Point, and Henry Boller of Cresco, and one sister, Mrs. Emma Risdon of Minneapolis, Minn.; also neighbors and friends in the community.