Winch, Catherine

WINCH, WIESE

Posted By: Plymouth CC
Date: 2/14/2004 at 13:50:51

Mrs. Catherine Winch Dies Following Fall

Mrs. Catherine Winch, 92, a resident of LeMars the past twenty-one years, died at the Sacred Heart hospital in this city Friday morning of complications from a broken hip suffered in a fall at her home three weeks ago. Up to the time of the accident Mrs. Winch enjoyed excellent health and was remarkable for her activity, her vigor, her sensible views and general outlook on life.

Born at Sulsfeldt, Germany, December 28, 1848, Catherine Wiese came with her parents to America landing New York in 1854. The family went from there to Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and lived in Wyandotte county where she attended the public schools and grew up.

The family came West in 1864 and settled near Elkport, Clayton county, Iowa. While living in Clayton county she married to William Winch in 1865 and they engaged in farming. They were early settlers in Sioux county near Hull where they farmed many years and later resided in the town of Hull moving there in 1903, coming to LeMars in 1919.

Nine children were born to them. Their oldest son died in 1882 and Mr. Winch died in LeMars in 1923. She is survived by eight children, Mrs. Katherine Williams of LeMars, Mrs. Mary Gasser of Sioux City, William Winch of Homer, Neb., Charles Winch and Mrs. Bertha Olsen of Los Angeles, Calif., Mrs. Edith Gilliland of Laredo, Texas, Dr. George Winch of George, Iowa, Mrs. Neil Dunnick of Hull, Iowa.

Mrs. Winch was a member of the Methodist church and its kindred societies. She was a member of the Woman's Relief Corps. She was an active worker in the church and in the various organizations of which she was a member during a long and useful life.

When with her husband she settled in Sioux county the country was verdant prairie land and settlers were few and far between. The Winch home was noted for its hospitality in early days despite the grasshopper plagues and other drawbacks and was a stopping place for travelers and itinerant ministers, one of whom was lodged free and boarded for two years in order that the sparsely scattered settlers from Sheldon, Iowa, to Yankton in the Dakota Territory could benefit from the missionary efforts of the preacher.

The funeral was held Monday afternoon in the First Methodist Church, Rev. W. M. Hubbard conducting the service. The interment was made in the cemetery at Boyden. Six grandsons carried the body to the grave, Charles Gasser and William Gasser of Sioux City, William Winch of Homer, Neb., Raymond Winch of Pilger, Neb., Donald Dunnick, Hull, and Will C. Williams of LeMars.

note: The article states her age was 92. Based on her birth date she would have been 92 years old on Dec. 28, 1940. This also says she had lived in LeMars for 21 years, having moved to LeMars in 1919. The year 1919 plus 21 years equals the year 1940. The obituary is so full of wonderful family names and detail thus the reason I have submitted this even though there is no specific date of death mentioned.