Martin Nielsen Balmer 1870-1961

BALMER, NIELSEN, EVANS, JORGENSEN, SENF

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 4/1/2014 at 21:14:19

Martin N. Balmer Dies At Age of 91
Martil Nielsen Balmer, 91, longtime area farmer and prominent livestock dealer for over 30 yers, died at 8:15 p.m. Saturday [December 16, 1961] at the Holy Family Hospital in Estherville of complications of advanced age. He had been in failing health for the past three months.

Family services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Dolliver Methodist Church, followed by public services at 2:00 p.m., the Rev. Roger Tappmayer officiating. Interment will be in the Dolliver cemetery. Friends may call at the Sternborg-Reese Funeral Home from this evening until 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, at which time the body will be taken to the church to lie in state until the time of services.

Mr. Balmer was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, on Sept. 27, 1870; the son of Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Balmer. He received his education in Germany. At the age of 19, he came to the county and settled at Reinbeck. He was married to Marie Nielsen on Aug. 31, 1897, at Cedar Falls, and he and his wife moved to the Dolliver area in 1902.

In addition to his farming near Dolliver, Mr. Balmer became engaged in livestock buying and feeding. He became the largest shipper of horses and cattle in the area and continued in the business for over 30 years.

After his retirement in 1940, the Balmers moved into Dolliver. In 1946 they moved to Ringsted, and in 1958 to Estherville Mrs. Balmer died here in 1960.

Mr. Balmer was a member of the Lutheran Church.

He is survived by two sons, Niels of Estherville and George of Welcome, Minn., and three daughters, Mrs. Anna Evans of Estherville, Mrs. Elmer Jorgensen of Swea City and Mrs. Ray Senf of Fairmont, 23 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, one son, two daughters, a sister and two brothers. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, December 18, 1961)