Isadora Alia “Dora” (Norton) Cerka (1884-1939)

NORTON, CERKA, CAMERON, SCHULER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 1/2/2022 at 10:09:20

From Nevada Evening Journal April 10, 1939 (page 1)

Zearing Woman Leaped to Death from Hospital

Special to the Journal:
Zearing, April 10--Mrs. Dora Cerka, 55, wife of August Cerka farmer of southwest of Zearing, is dead today as a result of a leap from the second story window of Ellsworth hospital, Iowa Falls, Sunday, from which point her body hurtled down a thirty-foot embankment into the ravine at the bottom of Rock Run.

Mrs. Cerka, who had been failing in health for some time had been taken to the Iowa Falls hospital, where she was under the care of a trained nurse. For a few day it was known that her mind had become very melancholy and she had been under the constant care of a nurse.

The patient apparently asleep, the nurse stepped out for only a minute Sunday afternoon and while she was gone another nurse took a look through the open door.

When the regular nurse returned she found the window open, and the patient gone. The dead an bruised body was found at the bottom of Rock Run gully which runs near the hospital.

Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2:00 at the Zearing Evangelical church, after which the interment, under the auspices of the Zearing O. E. S., of which she was a member will be in the Zearing cemetery.

Dora Norton was born in Illinois, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Levi Norton. The family came out to Zearing when she was girl and here she was united in marriage to August Cerka. She leaves besides her husband, a son Kenneth Cerka, her father Levi Norton and two sisters, Mrs. C. V. Cameron of Des Moines and Mrs. Henry Schuler of Bancroft.

Mrs. Cerka had been in a melancholy state since entering that hospital and it i thought that she was probably feigning sleep when her nurse left her, with the intention of making the leap to death with suicidal intent.

From Nevada Evening Journal April 14, 1939 (page 6)

Funeral Services Held at Zearing for Mrs. August Cerka

Special to the Journal:
Zearing, April 14 -- Funeral services were held for Mrs. August Cerka of Zearing at the Evangelical church Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock. The church was filled beyond seating capacity with sympathizing friends.

The service was in charge of her pastor, Rev. R. E. Kerney. Mrs. Jerry Hankins, Mrs. Harry Martin, Gilbert Womeldorff and Glen McBride sand three selections in quartette arrangement, accompanied at the piano by Miss Alice Holub. The many beautiful flowers were arranged by Mrs. L. P. Herr, Mrs. Clarence Bump and Mrs. W. C. Brouhard.

The pall bearers were: George Herr, James Ruxton, Albert Tolley, Claude Ruckman, Clarence Bunp and Robert Herr. Burial was in the Zearing cemetery where the members of the Order of the Eastern Star of Zearing Chapter paid their last tribute in the committal service.

Dora, daughter of Levi and Hattie Norton, was born July 15, 1884, at Earlvile, Ill., and her her life came to a close at Iowa Falls, April 9, 1939, at the age of 54 years, 8 months and 25 days.

She came with her parents to Zearing, Iowa, in February of 1896. On April 16, 1903 she was united in marriage to August Cerka. One son, Kenneth, was born into this home. Her mother passed away Jan. 27, 1931.

Besides her husband, her father and her son, she leaves two sisters, Mrs. Celia Cameron, Des Moines and Mrs. Muriel Schuler, Swea City, an aunt, Mrs. Amanda Norton, Zearing, and many other relatives and friends.

She was a member of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 237 at Zearing, of the Royal Neighbors at McCallsburg, and also of the Cleaners Sunday School class.

Relatives and friends from a distance in attendance at the services were: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schuler and family of Swea City; Mr. and Mrs. C. V. Cameron and sons Sidney and Paul of Des Moines; Lars and Fred Ludwigson, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hanson, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Stange, Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Wilson and son Earl of New Sharon, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Wessman of Oskloosa; Mrs. Mae Thatcher, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Saeger, Mr. and Mrs. John Norton of Fort Dodge; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Halle of Litchfield, Minnesota; Mr. and Mrs. Manny Norton of Blue Earth, Minnesota; Mr. and Mrs. August Buske, Mrs. Martha Brau of Guernsey; Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Lyons, Mrs. Enos Lekin, Mr. Frank Lyons of St. Anthony; Will Cerka, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Rogers; Mr. and Mrs. Russell Schuler, Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Schuler, C. A. Gunder, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Nelson of Colo; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Meiman, McCallsburg.