MAY, Casper John 1885-1861

MAY, GERHARTZ, MATZ

Posted By: Diane Scott (email)
Date: 9/21/2010 at 15:30:54

Casper John May was born December 28, 1885 in Mitchell County, Iowa, the son of Peter May and Katherine Clara (Gerhartz May and died August 27, 1961. Clara Regina Matz was born November 18, 1895, and died August 25, 1961. They were married June 21, 1921 in Wesley, Iowa.

Casper's birth date is found in family records as December 28, 1885. It was also thought that it could have been 1886. Family remembrance is that he settled on the 1885 date for retirement benefit purposes.

Clara grew up in Wesley, Iowa. Casper and Clara were married in Wesley at St. Joseph Catholic Church. They farmed for a while in the Wesley area, and then moved to Jump River, Wisconsin. Their first daughter, Irene, was born in Jump River. A short time later, they moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The family lived on the North side of Milwaukee and were members of Church of Gesu on Wisconsin Avenue. About 1956 or 1957, they moved to the Bay View area of Milwaukee's South East side. Daughters Irene and Evie lived a few blocks away with their families. They joined St. Augustine Church on Howell Avenue, and lived on Austin Street until they died.

Casper worked for International Harvester for many years, until he retired.

Clara pronounced her middle name "Ra-Ge-Na" -- Ge rhymes with "key," -- because she didn't want a name that rhymed with a body part!

She was a wonderful baker and cook.

Casper and Clara both suffered from cancer for a few years before they died. They were both patients at St. Francis Hospital in Milwaukee when Clara died on a Friday. Casper was very ill, and the doctor suggested he not be told that night. He was told the next day, and responded that "If Mumps is dead, than I don't want to live any longer, either." He died on Sunday.

Funeral arrangements had already been made for Clara, and the relatives were on their way from Iowa. A double funeral was quickly arranged, but it was too late to notify the relatives of his death. When the children arrived at the funeral home, Casper had a mustache from having been on oxygen in the hospital. He looked very handsome with it, but since he always was very clean shaven, it was requested that it be removed.

In order that they would not be shocked at the sight, someone had to be posted at the door to greet the visitors that had not heard that Casper had also died that weekend.

Pallbearers for the two were: Lawrence P. Brumm, Don Hildman, Virgil Matz, Art Schweppe, Matt Brost, Gene Gimelli, Norman Schueller, Ed Schuh, Francis Schweppe, Lawrence Weber, Ray Eichorst and Maurice Ganzer.

[Milwaukee Journal]