Wilker, Wilhelmine Mary "Minnie" (Harnack) 1876 - 1958

WILKER, HARNACK, MARTINS, NESTEBY, MATT, LENTH, ORR, HUEBNER, WEBB, BUCKMAN

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 5/30/2025 at 05:35:32

Clayton County Register, 13 Nov. 1958.

Funeral services were held Friday, Nov. 07, 1958, at 1:30 p.m. for Mrs. George Wilker Sr. at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Clayton Center, with the Rev. John H. Zerhusen officiating. Pallbearers were Dixon Orr, Robert Sass, Wesley Lenth Jr., Glen Huebner, Burnell Wilker and William Wilker Jr.

Wilhelmine (Minnie) Mary Harnack Wilker, daughter of Carl and Anna Martins Harnack, was born August 28, 1876, in Garnavillo Township, Clayton County, and died Tuesday, Nov. 04, 1958, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Carl (Rose) Nesteby, Dubuque. Mrs. Wilker had been in failing health for the past 20 years and died of complications.

Mrs. Wilker was baptized in the St. Paul Lutheran Church, Garnavillo, March 10, 1877, and was confirmed in the Zion Lutheran Church, Clayton Center, April 14, 1889, by the Rev. F. W. Seifert.

She received her education in the rural schools.

On Feb. 23, 1894, she was married to George Wilker at the Zion Lutheran Church, Clayton Center. They moved to a farm near Luana, where they lived for eight years, then moved to a farm near Elkader where they farmed for 31 years. Since the death of Mr. Wilker, she has made her home with her children. The past three years she had made her home with Rose, Mrs. Carl Nesteby, at Dubuque.

Mrs. Wilker was president of Zion Lutheran Ladies Aid for six years, and its treasurer for five years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a brother, Henry Harnack, and two sisters, Mrs. Joseph Matt and Amanda Harnack, and two grandchildren, Lunida Lenth and Eugene Orr.

Mrs. Wilker is survived by four sons, Arthur, Farmersburg; Fred, Rock Island; William, Volga; and George, Monona; five daughters, Mrs. Carl (Rose) Nesteby, Dubuque; Mrs. Wesley (Ella) Lenth, Farmersburg; Mrs. Erwin (Lucy) Huebner, Elkader; Mrs. Elroy (Emma) Webb, Dubuque, and Mrs. Willard (Leona) Orr, Dubuque; two brothers, George Harnack, Farmersburg, and Charles Harnack, Garreton, S.D.; one sister, Mrs. William Buckman, Farmersburg, and 23 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.