Miller, Katherine (Mrs. Peter K.) 1861-1953

MILLER, MECKEL, TENTINGER

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 5/16/2023 at 19:14:24

LeMars Weekly Sentinel
Wednesday, March 18, 1953

Mrs. Peter Miller Dies; Resident Here 65 Years.

Mrs. Peter K. Miller, 92, a resident of LeMars for 65 years, died Thursday, March 12, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joe Tentinger of Hawarden.

Katherine Meckel was born Oct. 9, 1861 in Ontario, Canada. She married Peter K. Miller there on Feb. 8, 1881. They came to LeMars, and Mr. Miller with his two brothers, Fred K. and Charlie K. conducted the Miller Bros. Blacksmith, Wagon, Carriage and Repair Shop on the corner where the Council Oak parking lot is now located.

Mrs. Miller was preceded in death by her husband and son, Leo, who was in the Navy and died in Buenos Ayres, Argentina in 1927.

For many years Mrs. Miller was a practical nurse. She lived for 65 years at 309 Second Ave. SW. A year and a half ago she moved to Hawarden to be with her daughter.

Surviving are three children: Fred W. of LeMars, Laura of Hawarden and Lincoln of St. Joseph, Mo. Also surviving are five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Saturday, March 14, at St. James Catholic church at 9 a.m. Rev. L. J. LaVelle officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery under the direction of Luken’s funeral home.
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LeMars Globe-Post, Thursday, March 19, 1953

Mrs. Pete K. Miller, a resident of LeMars for 65 years, died Thursday, March 12, 1953, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joe Tentinger at Hawarden, Iowa. She reached the age of 92 years and 5 months.

Mrs. Miller, formerly Katherine Meckel, was born on October 9, 1861, in Berlin, Waterloo Co., Ontario, Canada. (Berlin has now been changed to Kitchener since World War I.) She was united in marriage to Peter K. Miller of Bridgeport, Canada, on February 8, 1881. They came to LeMars and Mr. Miller with his two brothers, Fred K. and Charlie K. conducted the Miller Bros. Blacksmith, Wagon, Carriage and Repair Shop on the corner where the Council Oak parking lot is located. She was preceded in death by her husband and son Leo, who was in the U.S. Navy and died at Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 17, 1927.

Mrs. Miller was was wonderful mother and was always willing to lend a helping hand. For many years she did practical nursing. She lived at the same address, 309 - 2nd Ave. S.W. for 66 years. A year and one half ago she quit housekeeping and made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Tentinger, at Hawarden.

Survivors include three children, Fred W. of LeMars, Laura of Hawarden and Lincoln of St. Joseph, Missouri. Also five grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at St. James Catholic church Saturday at 9 a.m., Father L. J. LaVelle officiating. Pall bearers were Jack Schultz, Henry Schultz, Ray Tentinger, Will Tentinger, Ashton Coppock, and Ralph Marx. Burial was in St. Joseph’s cemetery under the direction of Luken’s funeral home.

Out-of-town relatives and friends attending were Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln J. Miller, of St. Joseph, Missouri; Mr. and Mrs. Dick Tentinger, of Chatsworth; Miss Patti Tentinger, of Akron; Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Daniels, of Jefferson, South Dakota; Mr. and Mrs. F. P. Sulzbach, Mrs. J. A. Miller, Mrs. Don Sulzbach, Mrs. Dick Sulzbach, Mr. and Mrs. Don Augustine, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ritz, Miss Elsa Bever, all of Sioux City; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Tentinger and Miss Margaret Tentinger of Remsen.
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Front page — LeMars Globe-Post, Thursday, March 19, 1953
Globe-Post News Obituary and article accompanying the photograph (below.)

Mrs. Katherine Miller, one of LeMars’ oldest residents, whose obituary is included above, had vivid memories of early days in LeMars. A few months before her death, she told a G-P reporter of the time, shortly after she came to LeMars as a young woman, of the “prairie rattler” problem, which present-day residents rarely hear of.

The snakes were so numerous that farmers never went into their fields without boots. The snakes rarely would strike higher than the ankle, so boots were adequate protection. Grain shockers had to look sharp to make sure that they didn’t disturb some hidden rattler.

As cultivation of the fields disturbed the snakes, they kept moving, and many came into towns. The old Clark schoolhouse, destroyed by fire many years ago, was on the edge of the prairie, and snakes infrequently were seen on the playground.

To protect the children, the school board erected a board fence to keep the snakes out.

Today rattlesnakes are a rarity in Plymouth county. Many youngsters have never seen one. A few still maintain themselves precariously on rough land near the Big Sioux, and perhaps in a few other parts of the county, but they are having a rough time to keep from being completely wiped out.
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Plymouth Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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