PRIEM, Louise (Gerlach) 1867-1946

GERLACH, PRIEM, OLSEN, MERKEL, BRANDT, ROSENBERG, BAUER, ZUEHL

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 6/10/2006 at 17:34:22

MRS. LOUISE PRIEM DIES FRIDAY, OBSEQUIES CONDUCTED MONDAY

Funeral services were conducted Monday afternoon at 1:30 at the home and at 2:00 at the Methodist church for Mrs. Louise Priem. The obsequies were in charge of the Rev. Milton Nothdurft with burial in the Newburg Township cemetery, known as the Priem cemetery.

Louise Gerlach Priem, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Gerlach, was born in Germany on July 2, 1867. At the age of two she came to the United States with her parents and they located at Freeport, Illinois. They lived there about a year and then moved to Nora Springs, Iowa. Here she spent her youthful days assisting her parents who operated a farm in that territory.

On October 22, 1884, she was united in marriage with Ferdinand Priem. This union was blessed with eleven children: six sons and five daughters. They made their home on his father's farm in Newburg township where they lived together for twenty-six years. They were faithful members of the Evangelical church.

On December 18, 1910, her husband died, leaving her to care for the farm and the five youngest children.

On April 8, 1925, after spending 40 years on the farm, she and her daughter, Esther moved to her present home in St. Ansgar. In 1939 she joined the Methodist church here. She lived in her home until she died early in the morning of April 12, 1946, at the age of 78 years, 8 months, and 10 days.

She was the final member to pass away in her family, her parents, and 11 siblings preceding her. Besides her husband, four sons and one daughter also preceded her in death. The six remaining children are: Anna (Mrs. Andrew Olsen) of Westbrook, MN; Rosena (Mrs. Milton Merkel) of Spring Valley, MN; Rufus now living on the home farm; Irvin, of Lyle, MN; Edna (Mrs. Mike Brandt) of Austin, MN; and Esther (Mrs. Lawrence Rosenberg) of St. Ansgar, IA.

She also leaves to mourn 28 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.

For several years she has been suffering from a heart ailment but it was not until April 2nd that she was confined to her bed with several complications. She was a kind and loving mother, always willing to help others and attended church faithfully as long as her health permitted. She will be greatly missed by her children and all who knew her.

The following grandchildren acted as pallbearers at the services: Glen Brandt, Arthur Priem, Harvey Merkel, Arthur Bauer, Roy Priem and Kenneth Zuehl.

Those from out of town who attended the services included Martha Machlitt of Minneapolis; Mr & Mrs Albert Storm of Slayton, MN; Mr & Mrs Roy Gerlach of St. Cloud; Mr & Mrs Merle Beaver of Mason City; Clare Priem, Mrs. Laura Zuehl, Mrs. Rose Pribbenow and Mrs. Mary Daily all of Nora Springs; Mrs. Rosa Crippen of Ames; Mr & Mrs. Arthur Cawelti of Cedar Falls; Mrs. M.O. Cawelti of Northwood; Mr & Mrs Andrew Olsen of Westbrook; Mr & Mrs. LaVerne Bauer of Westbrook; Mr & Mrs Ed Ruechel and son, Mrs. Bell Warden, Mr & Mrs. Mike Brandt, Mr & Mrs Glenn Brandt and Virginia, & Arthur Bauer all of Austin. Mildred Jass of Mason City; Mrs. Palmer Vicker and Rose Merkel of Rochester; Mr & Mrs Harvey Merkel, Mrs Clifford Merkel and Mr & Mrs Milton Merkel and family of Spring Valley; Mr & Mrs Harry Packard, Fred Zuehl, Mrs Clarence DeWard, Mrs Fred Muhn and LeRoy Zuehl all of Britt, Mr & Mrs Henry Wandrey, D.J. Walter and Mrs Olga Tubsing all of Mason City; Mr & Mrs G Cooper and son of Clear Lake and Mr & Mrs Irvin Priem of Lyle, MN.

(Obituary from a St. Ansgar Newspaper - April 1946)