Laura E. O'Connell Scharfenberg 1881-1933

SCHARFENBERG, SCHARFENBURG, OCONNELL, ATHEY, OBER, OTTERSON, TOSTENSEN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 12/12/2010 at 23:07:50

Local Woman Dies Suddenly at Iowa City
Mrs. J. H. Scharfenberg Had Been Ill But Short Time of Diabetes

Mrs. J. H. Scharfenberg, 51, passed away last night at the hospital at Iowa City where she had been taken Monday for treatment of diabetes. She had been ill but a short time and was in a local hospital for care but it was thought that a further consultation at the University hospitals might be of benefit.

Laura O’Connell was born at Webster City on April 28, 1881, the oldest daughter of John and Nellie O’Connell. She spent much of her girlhood in Estherville receiving her education here. She was employed for a number of years as a compositor in the Estherville Democrat office. On Feb. 22, 1905 she was married to Mr. Scharfenberg in Estherville and they continued to reside here except for short periods at other points on the Dakota division of the Rock Island.

Mrs. Scharfenberg is survived by two sisters, one brother, and by her four daughters, Mrs. Roscoe Athey of Dolliver, Mrs. Harold Ober of Estherville, Mrs. Otto Otterson of Jackson and Mrs. G. T. Tostensen of Estherville. There are three grandsons and one granddaughter. Mr. Scharfenburg had gone out on his run on the Rock Island this morning as usual before word of his wife’s death was received. The message overtook him at Forest City and he went on at once to Iowa City. The body of the deceased woman will be brought to Estherville by Mahlum and Anderson but no definite funeral arrangements have been made. They will perhaps be held from the Christian church of which she was a member.

Mrs. Scharfenberg was a member of the Eastern Star chapter, of the White Shrine, of the ladies’ auxiliary of the O.R.C. and of the Royal Neighbor lodge. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, January 26, 1933)

Attend Funeral of Mrs. Scharfenberg
Relatives and friends who came last week to attend the funeral of Mrs. Henry Scharfenberg were Mrs. John O’Connell and Miss Gertrude O’Connell, Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Barrett, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Mabe, Mr. and Mrs. Tom O’Connell and daughter, all of Ft. Dodge, Mr. and Mrs. George Weidman and Mrs. Dan O’Connell of Jamaica, Lou Scharfenberg of St. Cloud, Minn., George Scharfenberg of Conde, S.D., Mr. and Mrs. Nick Sorensen and daughter of Albert Lea, Minn., and Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Ober of Worthington, Minn. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, January 31, 1933)

Note: Cemetery records say Scharfenburg, obit says Scharfenberg, with one exception that could be a typo.