Gipper, Lydia Clara Augusta (Neuenkirch) 1889 - 1925

GIPPER, NEUENKIRCH, KANBERLE, SAUERBY

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 11/1/2020 at 22:15:10

Elkader Register, Thur., 10 Dec. 1925. Strawberry Point column.

Our community was saddened last Saturday evening when word was passed from one to another announcing the sudden death of Mrs. H. E. Gipper. Miss Lydia Clara Augusta Neuenkirch was born at St. Sebald, June 19, 1889. Here she grew to womanhood and on June 19, 1915, she was united in marriage to H. E. Gipper, then of Tripoli. Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Gipper resided at Tripoli for three years and then moved to this place, where they have since resided, being engaged in farming. Mrs. Gipper loved farm work and especially her chickens. This week she was going to Postville to enter her birds at the poultry show and she was working hard to make our poultry show the first of January a success. Her life was a beautiful one and death has brought a loss in the home that time can never efface; for she was a young lady possessed of a very gentle, retiring unassuming disposition, who always tried to make those about her and all whom she came in contact cheerful and contented. Her influence for good was far reaching, casting as it were, a reflection of her sunny smile on all whom she met, until children, with whom she was a great friend, would gather around her and always looked at her as their good and loving friend. Lydia, as she was better known, was kind and courteous to all, generous to a fault, saving and industrious to a marked degree and a true fond and devoted wife, daughter and sister. The passing of this young life into the world beyond even though we know God doeth all things for the best has filled all hearts with sorrow. Surrounded by her heart broken husband she passed peacefully away to that sleep that knows no awakening. The peaceful face, painted white and cold by the icy hand of death, speaks no language we can understand. In the presence of death we should always be sincere. We have no key that fits the lock of the future, no power to turn silence into speech and bring a message back from the lips of death. What seems so hard is that three daughters of these sorrowing parents have passed to the beyond; Mrs. Sophie Kanberle died Dec. 7, 1896; Miss Anna Neuenkirch June 7, 1897; and Miss Lena Neuenkirch June 11, 1902, and now the forth daughter being called away makes another vacant spot in the home no one can fill. A large concourse of friends gathered with the bereaved husband, parents and relatives at the German Lutheran church, Wednesday afternoon to pay their last respects to the one they loved so dearly. Rev. Otto Graf, a friend of the deceased, of Manchester, preached an excellent sermon, taking for his text 23 psalm, 4th verse, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou are with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Beautiful flowers from friends were fitting tribute to the lovely life. She leaves to mourn her loss her sorrowing husband, parents, five brothers; Will Sauerby of this place, A. Sauerby of Waverly, Frank Neuenkirch of Waterloo, Bennie Neuenkirch of this place, Clarence Neuenkirch of this place, besides other relatives and friends to whom the sympathy of the entire community is extended.