Marfilius, Esther Mathilda (Debes) 1887 - 1958

MARFILIUS, DEBES, KLINE, CARLSON, REINKE, FOELS, ZURCHER, KISHMAN, BUSACHER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 5/18/2025 at 15:09:23

Clayton County Register, 26 June 1958.

Services for Mrs. William Marfilius, 70, were held Tuesday, June 17, at 1:30 p.m. from the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Monona. The Rev. A. W. Ebert officiated. The Rev. R. C. Schlueter, of St. Paul's Evangelical American Church gave the prayer.

Music at the service was provided by a quartet: Harlan Hass, Jackson Turner, David Schlitter and William Peters, who sang "Saved by Grace," "Beyond the Sunset" and "Safe in the Arms of Jesus." Mrs. A. W. Ebert presided at the organ console. Burial was in the Monona City cemetery.

As Esther Mathilda, she was born the daughter of August Debes and Emma, nee Kline Debes, December 01, 1887, in Giard township. She died June 14, at the nursing home of Emma Ziegler in Monona after a lingering illness.

She was educated in the rural school in Farmersburg township.

On February 19, 1913, she was united in marriage with William Marfilius at the home of her parents near Farmersburg. This union was blessed with three daughters and one son. They established their home on the farm in Farmersburg township on which their son and his family now reside.

Mr. and Mrs. Marfilius moved to Monona in 1942.

In her early youth, Mrs. Marfilius became a faithful member of the former Prairie Evangelical Church, later transferring her membership to the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Monona.

Prior to her illness, Mrs. Marfilius had always maintained an active interest in the Ladies Society of the church. For many years she gave generously of her time through the medium of music.

As a devoted mother and friend, she also typified the ideal in that her first concern was always for her loved ones. She also found great satisfaction to be at work in her garden, especially among her flowers which were always a beauty to behold.

Survivors are her husband, one son Dayton of Farmersburg; three daughters, Mrs. Oscar (Ethel) Carlson and Mrs. Gordon (Irene) Reinke of Farmersburg, and Mrs. Harlan (Harriet) Foels of Postville; one sister, Elizabeth Debes of Monona, three brothers, William, Harry and Harvey Debes of Monona; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Her parents and two sisters, Henrietta Zurcher Kishman and Senda Busacher preceded her in death.

Pallbearers were Fred Hass, Grover Miller, Vern Marting, Robert Ferguson, Carl Etteldorf and Elmer Lenth. Mrs. Burdett Wold and Mrs. Vern Marting assisted with the flowers.

Those attending the funeral from a distance were: Mr. and Mrs. George Marfilius, Mrs. Louis Schrotz, and Mr. and Mrs. James W. Dickens, Madison, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Marfilius, Mrs. Delia Eggleston and Miss Etta Marfilius, all of Prairie du Chien; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Herold, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Steinbach, Mrs. Edith Steinbach and Miss Emma Herold, Wauzeka, Wis.; Mrs. Carl Carlson, Mrs. Mabel Ellenbolt, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Kishman and Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Siegel, McGregor; Mary and Alphonse Lake and Mr. and Mrs. Chas, J. Steffen, Dyersville; Mr. and Mrs. Albert Foels, Postville and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Meier and Mrs. Edward Voelker, Garnavillo.