Franz Arthur WELLEMEYER

WELLEMEYER, KLAUS, GRIEWE, BACON, CARLSON, HANSEN, HANSON, MOHLER, MELCHER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/20/2010 at 18:48:09

4 January 1961
Garner Leader -- Garner, Iowa.

22 February 1880 -- 29 December 1960

Funeral services were held Monday 2 January at the Klemme Methodist Church for Arthur Wellemeyer, 80, long time Klemme businessman. Mr. Wellemeyer died of a heart attack Thursday night. The Rev. James E. Albertson officiated and Osman Funeral Home of Klemme was in charge of the services. Interment was in the Ell Township Cemetery. Casket bearers were Asa Arnold Herman Paul, C. J. Larsen, Melvin Neuberger, Franklin Kluckhohn and Harvey Barz. Honorary casket bearers were J. E. Stille, Wes Haefner, Wallace Pavey, E. J. Arnold, Jim Thomas and Conrad Quandt. Mrs. E. A. Gerardi accompanied Mrs. Marvin Lemke as she sang "The Lord's Prayer," and "The Lord is My Shepherd," Mrs. Ben Coobs, Mrs. John Chambers and Mrs. William Vanoski arranged the floral tributes.

Arthur Wellemeyer was born 22 February 1880 in Sibley County, Minnesota near Henderson. He was the fourth of a family of nine children born to his parents, Reverend Frank and Mary Klaus Wellemeyer. When a baby he was baptized in a log church and later joined the German Methodist Church at Decorah by confirmation. He attended Charles City College and later taught in Liberty Township rural schools. On 22 February 1906 he married Lydia Griewe. They were the parents of five children. After farming for one year in Liberty Township, the Wellemeyers moved to Klemme and purchased a general store and called it the Wellemeyer Department Store, "A Good Place to Trade." He carried groceries, dry goods, men's wear, furniture, pianos and provided funeral service. In 1918 he built the familiar two story brick store building in which the Wellemeyer Furniture Store is still located. He managed the store until 1951 and continued as funeral director until his retirement in 1953. Mr. Wellemeyer was very active in Klemme's civic affairs and was ready and willing to devote much time to any project that was for the betterment of the community. He was always interested in his home town -- to him there was no place that could equal Klemme. Mr. Wellemeyer is survived by his five children: Andrew of Springfield, Missouri; Ethel, Mrs. Don Bacon of Klemme; Clarice, Mrs. James Carlson of Klemme; Ruth, Mrs. Burton Hansen [Hanson] of Titonka; and Nora, Mrs. Richard Mohler of Dayton, Ohio; one sister Mrs. Ruth Melcher of Los Angeles, California; one brother John Fletcher Wellemeyer of Kansas City, Kansas; eleven grandchildren and one great granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lydia, who died 31 July 1949.