Mai, Catherine 1871 - 1921

MAI, STOEBER, MEINHART, BUNKERS, FIEGEN

Posted By: Karen Danzer (email)
Date: 5/5/2009 at 18:52:16

Remsen Bell Enterprise – July 7, 1921

Mrs. Barney Mai Dead

Remsen Woman Passes Away at Dell Rapids, S.D. Hospital.
Funeral Held Here Monday

After giving promise, for several days, of an early recovery from her several weeks illness, Mrs. Barney Mai passed away suddenly last Thursday morning in a Dell Rapids, S.D. hospital, her death coming as a distinct, but sorrowful surprise to her attendants, relatives and many friends. The cause of her death was ailments of the stomach and kidneys, with which she had been a severe sufferer for about five weeks. Mrs. Mai was 50 years of age. She is survived by her husband, three sons, one daughter, two sisters, and three brothers. The funeral was held in Remsen Monday morning.

Mrs. Mai had been in failing health for about one year, and five weeks ago was taken to a Dell Rapids hospital for treatments. No operation was resorted to. Her physicians gave frequent reports of improvement in her condition, and the members of the family, who also made visits to her bedside, continually noticed apparent improvements in her health. Mr. Mai, his daughter Leona and his son Nick drove to Dell Rapids last week and spent several days there, and after conferring with physicians at the hospital, were satisfied that the wife and mother was rapidly improving. The patient had been out of bed for four days, and had been expected to leave the hospital this week to rest at the home of her sisters, Mrs. Henry Bunkers, near Dell Rapids, for a week before returning to Remsen. The Remsen people were preparing to leave her last Thursday morning just before noon, and about twenty minutes before their time of departure for Remsen, Mrs. Mai passed suddenly away, death coming at 11:40 o’clock.

Mrs. Barney Mai, nee Catherine Stoeber, was born on a farm near Petersburg, Iowa, April 7, 1871, and moved to Remsen with her parents (Joseph Stoeber and Margaretha (Meinhart) Stoeber) when she was 18 years of age. The family settled one and one-half miles south of Remsen, living there for a number of years, and on September 2, 1890, Catherine became the wife of Barney Mai, also of Remsen, the ceremony taking place here. During the first year of their married life the couple lived in town, and then took charge of a farm ten miles south of town, owned by Mr. Mai’s father. They lived there two years, when Mr. Mai purchased a farm three miles southeast of here, where they lived for eleven years. Then they purchased the Richels farm one mile east of town, and lived there until their retirement in December, 1919, when they came to live in town.

To this union four children were born, all of them living. They are, John, Nicholas, Lawrence and Leona, all of Remsen. The deceased is also survived by her husband and the following sisters and brothers: Mrs. Henry Bunkers, Dell Rapids, S.D.; Mrs. Ed Fiegen, Flandreau, S.D.; George Stoeber and Joseph Stoeber, Wahpeton, N.D., and Henry Stoeber, of Pipestone, Minn.

Mrs. Mai’s death caused genuine regret among hundreds of Remsen friends who had learned to know and to love her for her true Christian character and friendly manner at all times. She was a true and staunch member of St. Mary’s Catholic church, and took a deep interest in its affairs. The sudden death of this estimable lady is a distinct loss to the bereaved family, who have the sincere sympathy of their hosts of friends in and around Remsen.

The body was brought to Remsen last Saturday evening, and the funeral was held Monday morning at 9:30 o’clock, with solemn services in St. Mary’s church conducted by Rev. F. X. Schulte. The body was laid to rest in St. Mary’s cemetery. The funeral was very largely attended.