BILHARZ, Kenneth Otto 1920-1944

BILHARZ, LOVE, SOY, COLLIER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/19/2010 at 00:04:19

Item #1:

Pvt. Kenneth Bilharz Killed on Enemy Soil

OSAGE, IOWA — Pvt. Kenneth Bilharz was killed in action in Germany after 6 months of service, according to word received here late Sunday afternoon.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bilharz of near Orchard, he was born March 28, 1920, and graduated from Grant school and Floyd high school. He helped his father farm until his entry into service March 30, 1944.

He went into foreign service in September and had been in France, Belgium and Germany as a member of the infantry.

Surviving are his wife, Ruth (Love) Bilharz, to whom he was married in July 1943, his parents, a sister, Mrs. Mary Soy, and a brother, Franz, Jr., of California.

[Mason City Globe Gazette, Monday, October 30, 1944]
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#2:

Orchard Cemetery data on Iagenweb/mitchell:

BILHARZ, Kenneth Mar. 28, 1920 -- Oct. 14, 1944

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#3:

PRIVATE RITES
FOR WAR VICTIM

Pvt. Kenneth Bilharz
Lost Life m Germany

OSAGE, IOWA — Mitchell county's first overseas war dead to be returned, Pvt. Kenneth Otto Bilharz, arrived here Saturday from Chicago. Funeral services were to be private, with the Rev. Ross Hartman reading Scripture, and the Rev. H. F. Risse assisting as chaplain, at the Champion Funeral Home. Burial to be in the Orchard cemetery.

Kenneth Otto Bilharz, son of Franz J. and Stella (Collier) Bilharz, was born March 28, 1920, on the home Bilharz farm, east of Orchard. He graduated from the Floyd high school in 1937, and prior to his induction into service, assisted his father in farming.

On July 23, 1943, he was married to Ruth Love, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Love, Osage. They lived on the Love farm until his entrance into service March 30, 1944. Just prior to his induction he became a member of the Osage Congregational Church.

His military training was at Camp Hood, Texas. A little over 5 months from his induction he left the states, in September, landing in Belgium. The following month, he was killed in Germany, on October 14, 1944.

The purple heart, sent posthumously, was sent to his wife a short time following his death. No definite details have ever been disclosed concerning his death.

Survivors include his wife at the parental John Love home in Osage, his daughter, Marian Ruth, who was born in May, 1945, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Franz Bilharz, Orchard, a brother, Frank, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif., and a sister, Mrs. Leo Soy.

[Mason City Globe-Gazette, Saturday, November 29, 1947, Mason City, Iowa]
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Photo of Kenneth from the 1947 article above.

Link to photo of his tombstone
 

Mitchell Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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