Thea S. (Grotness) Kasberg (1889-1913)

GROTNESS, KASBERG, FORTUNE

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/5/2024 at 23:24:39

From Story City Herald July 10, 1913 (page 2)

OBITUARY

Mrs. A. H. Kasberg, well known to our community as Miss Thea Grotness, died at Spence, Colo., June 29, and was buried here from the Immanuel church Wednesday, July 2, Rev. M. N. Knutson officiating. Rev. K. S. Kasberg of Pierre, S. D., father of the bereaved husband, spoke in English and a very touching and beautiful manner told of the life of the deceased as he had known it. Miss Emma Boyd accompanied by the choir, and Mrs. Chas. Bartlett sang appropriate solos in a very expressive manner. The church was beautifully decorated and a profusion of flowers from relatives and friends covered the casket. A splendid Gates Ajar design and a handsome harp design occupied separate stands. The latter was a gift from the choir, of which the deceased had been a member. The church was filled to overflowing, and quite a number accompanied the mourners to the cemetery where the young wife was laid away at the side of her sister, who died a few years ago, also as a young wife.

From the grief stricken husband we have gathered the main facts regarding her sickness and death as well as her two years' stay in Colorado. As she was a well known Story City girl, educated in our schools, earning a University scholarship, supporting herself there one year, teaching for a number of years in this vicinity, and being an active member of church and society, we shall give the most important facts regarding her life since she left Story City.

On July 20, 1911, she was married to A. H. Kasberg, at the home of her sister, Mrs. T. Fortune, in Washington county, Colorado. They began life as homesteaders on a neighboring claim, working hand in hand to build a home in spite of many discouragements and difficulties. There were dozens of homesteader families around there, but no church of any kind. Mrs. Kasberg and a few others organized a Sunday School, which was divided into two branches, with a present total membership of over one hundred.

Last summer and the early part of winter they spent in Denver, where Mr. Kasberg had secured work. Mrs. Kasberg soon was deep in church work, becoming the leader of the choir, with such good results that they gave a cantata just before she left. They were both glad, however, to get back to their little ranch, and take up their "home work" again.

As spring and summer came, a good crop seemed to be in sight, and with renewed hopes they planned for the future. But the grim reaper wanted his harvest first! Saturday morning the young wife became sick. Sunday morning she and her new born son were cold in death. All Saturday and Sunday the neighborhood was in action, several parties going for a doctor, others for those most capable as nurses, while some of these were already on the way to the place before those sent out for arrived. A second doctor, the best in that section, was sent for. In spite of his most heroic efforts and the use of the most modern methods, the life of the young wife went out with the dawn Sunday morning. The news seemed to fly out over the prairies and from all around came people to take a last look at her, whom they had learned to know as everybody's friend and helper.

Sunday evening the undertaker from Brush took the bereaved husband and the casket containing the wife and child to Brush, where Mr. and Mrs. Fortune came down from Akron to take a last look at the sister who had gone so quickly. Mrs. Fortune's health did not permit her to accompany her sister to Story City, much as she desired to do so. Monday evening Mr. Kasberg left on the sad journey to his wife's old home. Tuesday morning he was met at Missouri Valley by his parents, the Rev. and Mrs. Kasberg from Pierre, S. D. During the long wiad at Ames for the evening train, Rev. Kasberg came up to Story City in an auto in order to give the particulars to the Grotness family, who knew nothing except the brief message of the telegram sent.

The sympathy of the whole community goes out to the young husband and to the Grotness family including specially those who could not be present at the last rite of love.