Lars Elmer Brown 1900-1937

BROWN, SOFSKY, BERG

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 5/9/2013 at 23:17:39

Dies at Wallingford
Funeral rites were held yesterday afternoon at the Immanuel Lutheran church for Elmer Brown, 36 who passed away Thursday at the Coleman hospital after an illness of several weeks, from pneumonia and complications. The Rev. Peder Nordsleten officiated at the services with Charles Anderson of the Mahlum & Anderson firm directing the funeral.

A quartette composed of Mrs. P. G. Paulson, Mrs. Melvin Christian, Ivan Cook and Edgar Iverson, rendered two numbers at the church and san, too during the committal service at the Wallingford church cemetery. Four brothers, Clarence, Joseph, Milford and Vernon Brown and two brother-in-laws, Swen and Lewis Berg, were pall bearers.

Wife Survives
He leaves behind him, his wife and mother, Mrs. James L. Brown, and five brothers and two sistes, Mrs. Lewis Berg of Brodhead, Wis., Mrs. Swen Berg of Harlem, Mont., Clarence C. Brown of Janesville, Wis., Lloyd C. Brown of Whittier, Calif., and Joseph, Milford, and Vernon Brown of Estherville. He is also survived by 21 nieces and nephews.

Elmer L. Brown, the son of Mr. and Mrs. James L. Brown, was born on July 2, 1900 in the Center township of Emmet county, Iowa. According to church records he was baptized in the Lutheran faith, as an infant, of July 29, 1900 by Rev. S. Strand. At the age of 14 ½ years he was confirmed by the Rev. T. J. Severtson.

Elmer Brown at the age of 21, left this community and went to Brodhead, Wis., making his home with his sister, Mrs. Lewis Berg. He remained at that place for about one years, being employed in the meantime in the service of the Milwaukee Railroad company.

Went to California
In the month of July, 1922, he left Wisconsin, and went westward to Burbank, Calif. At this place he remained for about 1 ½ years in the trucking department. Then, in that same city, he changed the nature of his work and learned the trade of metal lather. In the fall of 1924 he was admitted into the Worker’s union as a very capable man in this field of work.

From Burbank, Calif., Mr. Brown moved to Long View, Wash., where he with two partners, operated a garage for a brief time. From Long View, Wash., Mr. Brown moved to a neighboring city, Kalso, where he purchased the trade that he had learned at Burbank, Calif., namely that of a metal lather.

In the spring of 1929 Mr. Brown left the Pacific coast for the West Palm Beach, Fla., where he remained for a brief time. Since those days he traveled very extensively. He has been in every state of the union and has plied his trade in many of them with the exception of North Dakota. During the last eight years, however, he has lived in Washington, D.C., and has worked very faithfully and hard at his trade during these years. As a metal lather he qualified as one that was privileged to work in the nation’s White House and likewise was employed in the erection of the Commerce building located in Washington, D.C., which is recognized as the largest office building throughout the entire world. Said building built at the cost of $17,000,000.

Married in Virginia
On August 13, 1928, Elmer Brown married Ruth May Sofsky, a native of Kansas. They were united in marriage in Richmond, Virginia.

During their eight years of married life Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Brown attended a Baptist church in Washington, D.C., as there was no Lutheran church nearby. For some time Mr. Brown had planned to come back to his old community with his wife and to permit her to receive instruction in the same faith as his. They had planned quite strongly to be back for a family reunion, which was to be held last fall. But as this plan did not materialize, the trip hereto was postponed indefinitely. Then when receiving the news that his mother was ill, he and his wife decided to come home and to remain at home for sometime as he felt that he needed a rest from his heavy work. Strange as it seems, he came home to die. To his joy he saw his wish fulfilled in this, that his wife was baptized in the Lutheran faith before he closed his weary eyes after having ton through a very hard siege of pneumonia with other complications. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, January 19, 1937)

The same obituary was printed in the Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, January 21, 1937 with the following added:
Those who worked at his side had noticed that during the last three months he had begun to slow down as he was plying his trade as a metal lather. He came back to his boyhood home in a weakened condition. On January 7, 1937 he was brought to the Coleman hospital in Estherville to be treated for his ailments. In spite of the best care, which was given him, he passed on to the next world on January 14, 1937. When death came to him, he had attained as his age, 36 years, 6 months, and 12 days.

He leaves behind him his wife and mother and five brothers and two sisters. Their names and addresses are as follows: Mrs. Lewis J. Berg, Brodhead, Wis.; Mrs. Swen J. Berg, Harlem, Montana; Clarence C. Brown, Janesville, Wis.; Lloyd S. Brown, Whittier, Calif.; Joseph M. Brown, Milford E. Brown, Vernon T. Brown of Estherville, Iowa. He is also survived by 21 nieces and nephews.

The funeral service was conducted on Monday, January 18, 1937. The Rev. Peder Nordsletten was in charge.

Mr. Charles Anderson of Mahlum and Anderson Undertaking firm of Estherville, directed the funeral.

A brief service was held at the Milford Brown home at 1:30 o’clock. The service proper was conducted in the Immanuel church which is close by.

The pastor used II Chronicles 32:8 as his text. A quartette composed of Mrs. P.G. Paulson, Mrs. Melvin Christian, Mr. Ivan Cook and Edgar Iverson, rendered two numbers during the service and sang during the committal service in the Wallingford church cemetery.