Mary Thoms Moltzen 1872-1935

MOLTZEN, THOMS, THOM, THOMAS, TREES, JOHNSON, RICHARDS, SCHMIDT, WENZEL, HOYER, JORGENSEN, ZIEMS

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 4/28/2014 at 00:20:26

Mrs. M. Moltzen Passed Away on Sunday[May 12, 1935] Evening at Dolliver, Iowa
Our community was shocked again Sunday evening when we learned the grim reaper of death had visited one of our esteemed and beloved citizens, Mrs. Mary Moltzen. About a year ago Mrs. Moltzen suffered a stroke from which she never fully recovered but had been able to be out and around about her daily tasks at home. Since last Thursday she has been different, often [unreadable] and making plans. But still no one thought of the time being near. Saturday at 1:30 she took ill and at nine o’clock they called Dr. Mereness and he pronounced it a stroke. About 12 o’clock they called Dr. Thom’s from Terril, who is a nephew of Mrs. Moltzen. He agreed with Dr. Mereness and everything that skilled and loving hands could do was done to no avail. She quietly went to sleep at five o’clock Sunday evening. Her children were all at home at the time of her passing. Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at the Community church. Interment will be in the Dolliver cemetery. The family has the sympathy of the entire community in this, their hour of sorrow. Obituary will be given next week. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, May 15, 1935)

Dolliver and Vicinity
Obituary for Mrs. Mary Moltzen
Mary Thomas [Thoms] was born in Eckenford, Germany, June 30, 1872. The family came to America in1883 and resided at Reinbeck, Iowa until 1889 when they came to Emmet county and made their home on a farm eight miles northeast of Estherville.

On December 6, 1889, Mary Thomas was united in marriage to Fred Moltzen and they took up their residence on the farm two miles west of Dolliver. Nine children were born to this couple. One daughter, Henrietta, died of the influenza in 1918. The other eight children, four sons and four daughters, still live, most of them in this vicinity. They are: Mrs. L.E. Trees of Britt; Henry of Ceylon, Minn.; Ernest; Mrs. Burton Johnson; Mrs. T.B. Richardds of Dolliver and Clara John and Herman at home.

In 1927 the family moved to their present home in Dolliver where Mr. Moltzen passed away July 28, 1931.

One sister of Mrs. Moltzen, Mrs. Chris Schmidt, and two brothers, Nick Thomas and Otto Thoms, reside at Fort Dodge. They, with the eight children and thirteen grandchildren, remain to mourn her passing.

Mrs. Moltzen was baptized in the Lutheran church in Germany in her childhood. When the family resided on the farm they attended the services at the Lake Belt church west of Ceylon. Since coming to Dolliver Mrs. Moltzen has attended the community M.E. church when she was able. She was always interested in and supported all activities of the church.

We may say, but with perhaps with greater emphasis, what has so often been said before on such occasions, that Mrs. Moltzen was a faithful and devoted wife and gentle, loving mother and her children and grandchildren “Shall rise up and call her blessed.” She was a good neighbor and a good woman in the finest sense of the word. She was quiet and unassuming but in the passing of Mrs. Moltzen the community loses one of its most worthy characters , though she leaves a valuable heritage in her influence on the lives of the children she has reared.

The funeral services were conducted Wednesday afternoon by the pastor of the M.E. church, Rev. C.R. Yeager at the home at 1:30 and at the church at 2:00 o’clock. The hymns were sung by Mrs. Paul Anderson, Mrs. A.R. Eckhart, Mrs. C.R. Yeager and Mrs. Wm. McIlwraith, with Mrs. Finn presiding at the piano. The pall bearers were: Wm. McIlwraith, Dr. H.C. Mereness, Ed. M. Iverson, L.P. Stillman, A.R. Eckhart, and Claus Clauson. Interment was in the Dolliver cemetery.

Relatives who attended the funeral from far away were Mr. and Mrs. Nick Thoms, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Thoms, Mr. and Mr. Chris Schmidt, Mr. and Carl Wenzel, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Schmidt and Mrs. Walter Hoyer of Fort Dodge; Dr. and Mrs. Thoms of Terril, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. John Jorgensen, Henry and Will Thoms, Calumet, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Ziems of Dayton. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, May 21, 1935 / Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, May 22, 1935)