Lena Vahler 1863-1954

VAHLER CLEMON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/31/2009 at 14:09:02

17 June 1954
Mrs. Lena Vahler, 91, the last pioneer member of the Soldier Lutheran Church, passed away Monday, June 14 at her home in Soldier after an illness of four days. She had suffered a stroke on last Thursday up until her final illness she had been in quite good health and had never required the services of a doctor.

Mrs. Vahler in her younger days was active in affairs of the church. Besides being one of the pioneer members of the church, she was a charter member of the Ladies Aid which was organized in 1880. On the 75th anniversary of the Soldier church in 1945 she was one of five living pioneer members, the others passing away since that time.

Mrs. Vahler for the past several years has lived a quiet life with her two sons, Oren and Leonard, who have cared for her faithfully.
She was a kind and loving wife and mother, one who will be missed most of those old enough to remember the hardships of her pioneer days.
Funeral services will be held this Thursday, June 17 at 1:00 o’clock in the home and 1:30 in the town church. Pastor F.W. Thomsen of the Bethesda Lutheran Church of Moorhead will give the sermon in the absence of Pastor Kilde. Burial will be in the Soldier Valley Cemetery under the direction of the Oldham Funeral Home.

Mrs. Lena Vahler, daughter of Ole and Elizabeth Clemon, was born in Torpen, Norway April 24th, 1863 and passed away at her home in Soldier June 14, 1954 at the age of 91 years, one month and 21 days.

She was baptized May 17, 1893. Mrs. Vahler came to the United States at the age of five years and settled in Rock Ford, Wisconsin where she lived with her parents for two years. They came to the Soldier vicinity from Wisconsin in a covered wagon and first stayed with the Thoreson family. Later they moved to the old C.R. Christianson farm north of the country church.

On December 27th 1886, she was united in marriage to Holman Vahler and to this union eight children were born. They farmed in the Soldier vicinity until March 1929 and then moved to town.

Mrs. Vahler was preceded in death by her husband and four children, Mrs. Nels J Christiansen, Mrs. John G Olson, Paul and Eddie. Surviving are two sons, Oren and Leonard, at home, and two daughters, Mrs. Leonard Kearns and Mrs. Arthur Hanibal of Council Bluffs, Iowa, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren.