Anna Gertrude Hoelker Eickholt 1869 - 1940

HOELKER, EICKHOLT

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/1/2023 at 02:30:46

The Anthon Herald
29 May 1940

Following a long illness, Mrs. Anna Eickholt passed away at her home in Anthon at 11:05 p.m. Monday, May 27, 1940. She was 71 years, 2 months and 13 days of age, and death was caused by diabetes, with which she had been afflicted for 19 years.

Mrs. Eickholt had been failing rapidly since March, and her condition had been critical for two weeks. All her children and a brother, Anton, were at her bedside when the end came Monday evening, after years of patient suffering. She was resigned to the will of her Saviour.

Her daughter, Anna, was her constant companion through these years and tenderly cared for her.

Anna Gertrude Hoelker, eldest of a family of eleven children, was born March 14, 1869, to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hoelker, at Dyersville, Dubuque Co., Iowa. As a child of nine years she moved with her parents to Carroll County, where they resided until 1885, when they came to Woodbury County. In January 1887 she returned to Dyersville and on November 26 that year she became the bride of Theodore Eickholt, this union was blessed with ten children, but two died in infancy and a daughter, Hannah, passed away December 8, 1906, at the age of six years.

The Eickholts moved to Woodbury County in 1891 and remained in this vicinity except for two and one-half years spent near Crookston, Minnesota, from the spring of 1903 to the fall of 1905. Mr. Eickholt was summoned by death January 27, 1907, and left his widow with a large family to rear.

A hard worker and a good manager, Mrs. Eickholt kept her children together and with their help made a success of farming. In 1910 she purchased a farm five and one-half miles west of Anthon and moved onto it the following year. There she reared her family, and her untiring labors were rewarded with good fortune. In 1925, when her health began to fail, she purchased a fine modern home in Anthon where she spent the remainder of her life.

Survivors include five sons, Frank, Joe, Anton, Will and Theodore of Anthon; two daughters, Mrs. John Kuhn and Anna of Anthon; three brothers, John of Pukwana, South Dakota; Anton of Anthon; and Frank of Mineral Point, Wisconsin; four sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Hoing, Mrs. Josephine Sullivan and Mrs. Mary Berkemier of Kimball, South Dakota; and Mrs. Hannah Murphy of Mineral Point, Wisconsin; other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services will be conducted in St. Joseph's Catholic Church at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 30, by Rev. A. Conlon, with burial in Mount St. Joseph's Cemetery. Arrangements are in charge of Hudgel's Funeral Service.

Immediately following the graveside services, Father Conlon will say prayers at the graves of each of the deceased veterans of all wars buried in Mount St. Joseph's Cemetery.

Mrs. Eickholt was a wonderful mother and a good neighbor. She was a devout Catholic and attended mass regularly as long as her health permitted. Her family, relatives and friends will miss her greatly.