William Frederick STILLE

STILLE, STINIEKER, SCHULDT, KOERNER, ANDERSON, GRUETZMACHER, TERHUFEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/12/2015 at 15:17:41

August 10, 1864 --- May 31, 1952

William Frederick Stille, age 87 years, a resident of this community for 76 years, died Saturday night, May 31, 1952. He was born August 10th, 1864, at Detmolt, Missouri, the second of six children born to his parents, Henry Stille and Louisa Stinieker Stille. One sister, Minnie (Mrs. Ernest Schuldt,) and one brother, Herman Stille, proceeded him in death.

In 1874, when William was nine years old, the family sold their mill in Detmolt, Missouri, and purchased the farm where the Liberty Methodist Church now stands. They were one of the first families to settle in Liberty township. Little by little, with their own hands, they built a small home and other buildings; provided a well, some fences and a shelter belt of willow trees. They were there when the first school was built in 1876, and were there when Liberty township was organized in 1879.

They donated the acre of land for the building site of the Liberty Methodist Church, which was dedicated September 20, 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Stille's names are among the charter members. The Liberty Township Cemetery is located on their farm.

The Stille Brothers even operated a General Store in Klemme for a few years in the 90's. It must have been most interesting to this pioneer Wm. F. Stille to help with the development of our community over a period of 76 years, three-fourths of a century. It was in 1883, nine years after moving to Liberty township that the father, Henry Stille died at the age of 48. Funeral services were held in the Liberty Center Schoolhouse, conducted by the Rev. Gotlieb Haefner, and this was the first burial of record in the Liberty Township Cemetery.

After the father's death, Wm. F. Stille, age 18, and his two younger brothers, Herman and John, continued to operate the farm. In July 1894, at the age of 30 years, William F. Stille and Sarah Koerner were married. They lived on a farm 2 miles west of Klemme for 32 years, where their four children were born and raised. In 1926 William and Sarah Stille moved to Klemme in retirement, and 13 years later the wife, Sarah, passed away. Since then Wm. F. Stille continued to live in Klemme with his son, Lester and family, except for a few winters spent with his son Donald and wife in California.

He suffered a stroke some weeks ago and spent his last days in a Nursing Home at Rockwell, Iowa. Mr. Stille reached the age of 87 years. 9 months and 21 days. Three children survive: Elvira (Mrs. Lee Anderson) Charles City, Harvey and Donald Stille, both of Polson, Montana; also 6 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild; One brother, J. E. Stille, Klemme, Iowa, and two sisters, Lizzie (Mrs. F. Gruetzmacher) of Des Moines, Iowa, and Emma (Mrs. John Terhufen) of Klemme, Iowa and other more distant relatives and friends. ELL TOWNSHIP CEMETERY -- Klemme, Iowa; WELLEMEYER FUNERAL SERVICE -- Klemme, Iowa;