Splies, Bertha (Oelke) 1854 - 1941

SPLIES, OELKE, SCHULTZ, ERNST, CLARK

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 8/22/2024 at 11:47:10

Clayton County Register, 25 June 1941.

LUANA: Mrs. Bertha Oelke Splies, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Oelke, was born in Read township, Iowa, Jan. 12, 1854, and baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith in Garnavillo.

On Feb. 09, 1876, she married Fred Splies. Seven days later the young couple went to housekeeping on a farm near National, where they lived and worked hard together for 25 years.

Their union was blessed with three children, a son William, and two daughters, Elizabeth (Mrs. Henry Schultz) and Charlotte, who as Mrs. Lloyd Ernst, preceded her mother in death in 1913 at the age of 28 years.

In 1900 the Splies family left the farm, moving to Luana, where Mr. Splies and the son purchased and operated a very progressive general merchandise business. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Splies retired from active business and built a home in Luana, where they lived comfortably and happily until the death of Mr. Splies in 1926.

Mrs. Splies died Wednesday afternoon at about five o'clock after a short severe illness, aged 87 years, five months and six days.

The funeral occurred at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, June 21, from the home. Burial was made in the family lot of the Luana cemetery beside her husband and daughter Charlotte.

She leaves to mourn her death her son, William of Decorah, and his wife who, at present is in the hospital at Rochester, Minn., a daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Schultz and husband of Luana, a granddaughter, Mrs. Frederick Clark and husband with their son, Freddie, Jr., of Ft. Wayne, Ind. and a host of relatives and friends.