Margaret Burger Ruess (1835-1923)

RUESS, BURGER, HELMER, ROMAINE, HOFFELDER, BRYAN

Posted By: Linda White (email)
Date: 9/10/2014 at 21:10:18

MARGARET (BURGER) RUESS

WEST LIBERTY, IOWA - Mrs. John Ruess, an early comer to this community, died shortly after 9 o’clock Sunday morning, March 18, 1923 at the home of her son, Will, on Calhoun Street, at the age of eighty-eight years. Although she has been feeble for some time, due to her advance years, her final illness did not come until about a week before the end.

She was formerly Margretta Burger (shortened to Margaret when she came to the US), oldest daughter of Roland and Anna Burger, and was born near Cologne, Germany, November 10, 1835. She came to America with her parents when she was a young girl and settled at Iowa City, where she lived until October 3, 1859, when she was united in marriage with John Ruess.

They moved to a farm southwest of West Liberty, on what is now South Prairie, where she made her home for more than sixty years, moving to West Liberty a few years ago with her son, Will. Her husband passed away fourteen years ago, in 1908.

She leaves to mourn her death, one sister, Mrs. Gertrude Helmer, of Iowa City; two brothers, Fred and Peter Burger, of Boulder, Colorado; three sons, Henry and Will of West Liberty, and Frank of Iowa City; and four daughters, Frances Ruess of West Liberty, and Kate Ruess, Mrs. Anne Romaine, and Mrs. Elizabeth Hoffelder of Iowa City. One daughter, Rosalia Bryan, died about fifteen years ago, in 1908. There are also fourteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

The funeral services were held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Tuesday morning, March 20, 1923 at Requiem High Mass. Father Carroll saying the mass assisted by Father Kissane and Father Hannum, president of St. Ambrose College. Internment was at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in West Liberty. Her six grandsons were the pallbearers.

Printed on page 5 of the West Liberty Index on March 22, 1923.