EICKHOFF, Bertha E. (Schroeder) 1900-1993

EICKHOFF, NOLTE, SCHROEDER, FROST, VORWALD, BEARMAN, MOERTCH, ZIEHE

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 7/31/2012 at 15:24:31

Bertha E. Eickhoff, age 93, of rural Floyd, a former Chickasaw county resident, died of natural causes on Saturday, April 3, 1993, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Mason City. Funeral services were held on Wednesday at Conway Funeral Home in New Hampton, with Rev. C.D. Grim of Floyd officiating. Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery at Fredericksburg.

Bertha E. Schroeder was born on March 25, 1900 on a farm near Frederika, the daughter of William F. and Alvina (Nolte) Schroeder

She attended the parochial school near her home. On October 26, 1920 she was married to William J. Eickhoff at the home of her sister at Buck Creek, Iowa. Following their marriage, they lived in the Buck Creek/Fredericksburg area and later in the Ionia area.

Bertha started playing the organ in her home church when she was 13 and continued until she was 26. In 1930 she started a family band, later known as the Cloverleaf Orchestra. The group played in most of Iowa and southern Minnesota. In later years she performed for community benefits such as fundraising for schools, fire departments, county homes, soldiers home, churches and many other organizations.

She is survived by four daughters, Barbara and her husband Melvin "Frosty" Frost of Rudd, Dorothy Swain of Niagua, Missouri, Chrystel Vorwald of Sumner, Ruth Ziehe and her husband Coy of Plainfield, Iowa; three sons: Gene Eickhoff and wife Peg of Sumner, Karl Eickhoff and wife Dorothy of Mt. Grove, Missouri, William H. Eickhoff and wife Beula of Ionia; 26 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

Bertha was preceded in death by her parents, her husband in 1971, one son, Bobby in 1937, two brothers, Richard and William Schroeder, two sisters, Emma Bearman and Mary Moertch.

[Nora Springs Advertiser -- 7 APR 1993]