BOYER, Marie (Gunderson) 1884-1950
BOYER, GUNDERSON, HABERKORN, SCHMIDT HENDRICKSON, DUSHANE, BACK
Posted By: Karen L. Robertson (email)
Date: 12/28/2009 at 17:43:56
#1:
Marie Gunderson, was born [on March 18, 1884,] to Erick and Louise Gunderson, in Newburg Township, on the Gunderson homestead, and there attended the local schools and was received by baptism and communion into the First Lutheran Church, by the late Pastor Johann Olson. Within her was the earnest desire to become a teacher, so she attended Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls, then came to near her home community to teach, in the community of Meltonville, later teaching at Reeder, North Dakota.
In August 1909 she married Alden Scott Boyer, druggist in Carpenter, and the couple first lived at Reeder, North Dakota, and then moved to Chicago, Illinois, where they have since lived.
She at first assisted her husband in his various experiments that ultimately made him world famous, ever mindful of his welfare and interests her entire life. Her interest in teaching led her to assist in a junior school for boys at Elgin, Illinois where semi-orphaned boys received assistance. She worked laboriously with this project and gave unstintingly of her time and money in this work that was so dear to her heart.
She was a patron of arts in Chicago, attending and assisting in the work of the artists in various phases of art work. She was a faithful member of the Writers Guild and had returned to Chicago at Easter following her election as National president of Pen Women.
For many years, she lived for six month periods, yearly, in France, where she learned to know and to love many of foreign extraction.
In Chicago, many were those befriended by her whose backgounds were of western Europe, and her home was open to all. Her hobby was collecting. In her home are hundreds of articles, priceless in value, many of them museum pieces, whose origin can be traced back many centuries. Whenever she lectured, the proceeds were always given to charity. She also found time to be an instructor in Carnegie Foundation work, which she dearly loved.
Mrs. Boyer had not been feeling well, but had not complained of being ill, and it was a complete shock to all, when news arrived that she had died during her sleep Monday morning, [May 1, 1950] in her home in Chicago, found by her husband.
She leaves to mourn her passing her husband, two sisters, Mrs. Lewis Haberkorn, Osage and Mrs. Josephine Schmidt, Mason City, two brothers, C.G. Gunderson, St. Ansgar and Emil of Ray, North Dakota, in addition to nephews and nieces and other relatives.
Deceased relatives include four sisters, Mrs. Laura Hendrickson, Miss Lorena Gunderson, Mrs. Leva DuShane, and Mrs. Petrina Back, and two brothers, John and Melvin.
[St. Ansgar Enterprise]
NOTE: Birth and death dates are from church records.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#2:Mrs. Alden Scott BOYER
NOTED WOMAN DIES
Mrs. Alden Scott Boyer, 66, who died in her sleep at her Chicago apartment Monday morning, was noted as a lecturer and had probably the most famous lace collection in America. She was a native of the St. Ansgar vicinity.
Funeral services will be held at the First Lutheran church at St. Ansgar Thursday afternoon.
Some of her laces date back to the 13th century with origin in France. She was recently elected national president of Pen Women and was a member of the Writers Guild and patron of arts of Chicago.
[ Mason City Globe-Gazette - May 3, 1950 ]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#3:Former Iowa Woman Found Dead in Sleep
St. Ansgar, Iowa — Funeral services for Mrs. Alden Scott Boyer, 66, of Chicago, will be held Thursday at 2 p. m. at the First Lutheran church here, the Rev. Olaf A. Langehough officiating. Burial in the St. Ansgar cemetery.
Mrs. Boyer died in her sleep at her fashionable Drexel Square apartment and was found by her husband, a Chicago manufacturer, Monday.
Taught in Iowa
Born Marie Gunderson, she was the daughter of Erick and Louise Gunderson of Newburg township, west of St. Ansgar. She attended school at Iowa State Teachers college, Cedar Falls, and taught school at Meltonville. In 1909 she was married to Mr. Boyer, and they lived first at Carpenter, then at Reeder. N. Dak., finally in Chicago where Mr. Boyer became a prominent industrialist.
Besides her husband she leaves two sisters, Mrs. Lewis Haberkorn, of Osage, and Mrs. Josephine Schmidt, of Mason City, and two brothers, Gustav Gunderson, St. Ansgar, and Emil, Ray, N. Dak.
Mrs. Boyer was famed for her philanthropic work, doing much charitable work for semi-orphaned boys in a boys' school under her tutelage. She was noted as a lecturer, had probably the most famous lace collection in America, her laces dating back to the thirteenth century, with origin in France where she and her husband headquartered prior to the war for a six months' period yearly.
Because of her husband's French ancestry, carefully guarded lace secrets, were revealed to them, and access given to many laces that were museum pieces. There, her husband learned the secrets that made his factories in Paris and Chicago famous as the Boyer products, secrets coming from his grandmother's ancestors.
Use Boyer Name
The cosmetic factories have now been sold, both abroad and in Chicago, and are still operating under the Boyer trade name, but Mr. Boyer now has chemical factories.
Mrs. Boyer had at Easter just returned from Washington, D.C., where she was elected national president of the Pen Women. She was a member of the Writers Guild and patron of arts in Chicago. She had given innumerable lectures on her famous antiques, particularly her lace collection, lecturing in many states. All her lecture proceeds have been given to charities.
[Mason City Globe-Gazette - Wednesday, May 03, 1950]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#4:Ellen Maria Gunderson was born March 18, 1884 at Newburg, Mitchell, Iowa to Erick Gundersen and Louisa Gunhilde Helgesen, the eighth of their eleven children. She was baptized on May 8, 1884 at the First Lutheran Church, St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa.
Found in the 1885 - 1900 censuses living at Newburg, Mitchell, Iowa:
1885: Erick Gunderson 42 ,Lovisa Gunderson 34, Laura Gunderson 14, John Gunderson 13, Petrina Gunderson 10, Gusta Gunderson 8, Amil Gunderson 7, Lave Gunderson 5, Melvin Gunderson 2, Maria Gunderson 1, Mathia Findstad 35, Olans Larsen 32. 1895: Ellen Mary Gunderson age 16. 1900: Erik Gunderson 57, Ragnild Gunderson 48, C Gustavus Gunderson 24, Levie G Gunderson 20, Maria E Gunderson 16, Emma H Gunderson 13, Jenny J Gunderson 11, Olavus Thorson 29.
Found in the 1905 census at Folsom, Traverse, Minnesota: Ellen Gunderson age 21 student. (not 100% sure this is her, there were others w/ this name)
Preferring the name Marie, she married Alden Scott Boyer on August 29, 1909 at the Little Brown Church at Nashua, Iowa. She traveled extensively, often by ship.
Found in the 1910 census at Reeder, Adams, North Dakota. Occupation was a druggist: A. S. Boyer 23, Maria 26.
Found in the 1920, 1940 censuses at Chicago, Cook, Illinois: 1920: Alden Boyer 33, Marie G Boyer 35. 1940: Alden S Boyer 53, Marie G Boyer 55.
Marie Boyer died May 1, 1950 at Chicago, Cook, Illinois and is buried at the First Lutheran Cemetery, St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa. No children.
See FindaGrave #46075222 which has a photo.
(Credit: Deidre Badker, 6/2013)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#5:Photo below is from the 2nd article above.
Mitchell Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen