Kokenge, Josephine (Mrs. Henry), 1877-1918

KOKENGE, HUSS, NEMMERS

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/28/2016 at 01:49:52

From the LeMars Semiweekly Sentinel, June 18, 1918:

Mrs. Josephine Kokenge, wife of Henry Kokenge, residing near Alton, died at the city hospital on Saturday night. Mrs. Kokenge was brought to the city hospital two weeks ago suffering from internal goiter and her condition was serious from the start. The deceased's maiden name was Josephine Nemmers. She is survived by her husband, eight children and four stepchildren. She was forty-one years of age. Mrs. Kokenge was related to the Nemmers and Kamp families of this city. The funeral will be held on Tuesday morning at St. Mary's church in Alton.

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From the Alton Democrat, June 22, 1918:

Death of Mrs. Henry Kokenge.

Mrs. Henry Kokenge passed away at the LeMars Hospital on Saturday, June 15, the cause of her death being goiter trouble. Mrs. Kokenge was born on the farm east of Alton on May 25, 1877 and so by the time of her death was 41 years old. In 1897 she was united in marriage with Henry Kokenge, to become a real mother for his motherless children. This marriage was blessed with ten children, of whom two died.

Besides her husband, she leaves to mourn her loss, twelve children, John Kokenge of Granville, Anton Kokenge of Orient, S.D., Ernest Kokenge of Alton, Mrs. Clem Full of Taunton, Minn., and eight children at home: Joseph, Dorothy, Francis, Alfred, Alois, Cyril, Edna, and Marina, the youngest being only three years old. The deceased is survived by her parents, of whom Mrs. Huss is living at Alton, and six brothers and two sisters.

Mrs. Kokenge was a woman highly esteemed by her friends, loved by her family and was a faithful member of the Church. The whole community sympathizes with the bereaved ones in their great loss of mother and wife, daughter and sister. Funeral services were held on Tuesday June 18 at the Catholic Church, Very Rev. Father Brune officiating. An unusual[ly] great number of friends and relatives attended the funeral.

Those present from a distance were: Mrs. Peter Nemmers, Fulda; Mrs. Joe Hoefer and Leonard, Mrs. A. Hoefer and Mrs. Henry Burlage of New Vienna; John Drees and Mrs. Joe Schindler of Dyersville; Mrs. Grimm of Wisconsin; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Huss, Ashton; Mr. and Mrs. Ted Huss and Mr. and Mrs. H. Nemmers, Miranda, S.D.; Mr. and Mrs. A. Kokenge and family, Orient, S.D.; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nemmers, Le Mars; Mr. and Mrs. John Nemmers, John Kemp, Mrs. Math Kemp and Margaret and Anna Kemp.

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FindaGrave.com shows her as buried in Saint Marys Cemetery, Alton, although she is not included in the online Sioux County Cemetery Index. It gives her parents as Nicholas D. Nemmers (1845-1882) and Anna Kaiser Nemmers Huss (1852-1920). It also includes an image of what appears to be a funeral card, with her portrait.