Madille (Sætre) Donhowe (1837-1922)

DONHOWE, SÆTRE, SAETRE, JOHNSON, VALEN, JACOBSON

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/1/2020 at 19:32:02

From The Roland Record, Roland, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, December 21, 1922.

OBITUARY

Mrs. Ole Donhowe, whose maiden name was Madille Sætre, was born at Halsnøen, Norway, July 11, 1837, and died in Story City, Nov. 28, 1922, aged 85 years, 4 months and 17 days.

She came to America in 1860 settling in Clinton county, Iowa, where she was married to Ole Donhowe Oct. 5, 1862. To this union twelve children were born, six of whom have preceded the mother to the better land.

With her husband and family she moved to Story county in 1870. They settled on the farm 5 miles south of Story City where she lived until 1902, when she and her family moved to town. Here they lived ever since. Recently on account of age, she and her husband had given up housekeeping by themselves and lived at the homes of their sons John and Henry.

Mrs. Donhowe had enjoyed good health all her life, hardly knowing what it was to be sick. When death came it found her ready to go and she passed away much as one goes off to sleep.

Besides her aged husband she leaves six children to mourn her departure, namely, O. O. Donhowe of Dodge City, Kan.; John, Henry N., Nels, Mrs. Sam Johnson and Peter C., all of Story City. She also leaves 38 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held in the St. Petri church, of which she had been a member since 1870. Rev. J. N. Andersen, the pastor, preached in English, using the words, "Be Ye Thankful for Everything" as his text. Rev. Heimarck of the Immanuel church, spoke in Norwegian, speaking feelingly of the influence of a good mother upon the home, the family and the community. Both speakers paid eloquent tributes to the departed, commending her Christian fortitude and the exemplary characteristics of her long life.

She was carried to her last resting place by six of her grandsons, Melburn Donhowe, Alonzo Donhowe, Ole Valen, Arthur Donhowe, Carl Johnson and Alfred Jacobson.