Barth, Bessie M. (Bender) -- 1906 - 1993
BRANDT, BARTH, MOEN, HEXOM, HOLKESVIK, PETERSON, BENDER
Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 1/12/2012 at 21:17:30
Bessie was born February 13, 1906 on her parents' farm, four miles west of Locust in Hesper Township, the first of Adam & Dora (Brandt) Bender's five children. She was baptized and confirmed here at St John's, and of this congregation she has been a lifelong member.
Bessie attended school in Canoe Township and also took piano lessons, carrying on a musical tradition banded down from her mother's side of the family. With a player piano and a victrola, the Bender home was filed with music.
On June 24, 1925, Bessie married Frankie Barth, the son of Henry & Maggie Barth, who lived less man a mile west of the Benders. Pastor Christian Heltne performed the ceremony in the Bender home.
The young couple first made their home on a farm somewhat north of the Benders, and while living here Bessie gave birth, first to Virginia in 1926, and men to Dale in 1928. Around 1930 they moved to a farm just outside Mabel where their children began going to school When Frankie's folks retired from farming in 1936, Frankie and Bessie bought the homeplace and framed it until 1950, when they moved to Decorah and Frankie began work as a carpenter.
Along with her homemaking tasks, Bessie was always active in the St. John's Ladies Aid and served for many years on the altar committee. In her later yean she has been a loyal member of the Hannah Circle, attending meetings until it became too difficult for her to get around. She also continued to enjoy music, and one of her prized possessions was the little organ that Frankie gave her for a birthday present around 1963.
On April 9th, Bessie was admitted to Green Lea Manor in Mabel, having been diagnosed with inoperable cancer. More than willing to die, she nevertheless persisted for two months before breathing her last on Tuesday, June 8th at 5 AM. Tough-minded to the end, she saw no reason to take a cup of water the attending nurse offered her. 'I don’t need that," she said, "I’m dying."
Bessie is survived by her daughter Virginia and son-in-law Kenneth Moen, her son Dale and daughter-in-law Audrey (Hexom) Barth, her aunt Jeanette (Brandt) Holkesvik; her brother Virgil and sister-in-law Lucella (Peterson) Bender, her brother Walter and sister-in-law Dona (Peterson) Bender, her sister Myrtle and brother-in-law Ray Barth--all of Decorah; her brother-in-law Howard Barth of Dundee, Illinois; 7 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, 1 foster grandson, 16 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great grandchildren, all dear to her.
She was preceded in death by her brother Adam Jr. (1940); her father Adam Sr. (1956); her husband Frankie (1968); and her mother Dora (1980).
Blessed be the memory of Bessie Mae Barth.
Source: funeral bulletins
Submitted by John Matter jmatter@q.com
Locust Cemetery aka Saint John
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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