Surnames: Welk, Bauernfeind, Struck, Fehrke, Geisler, Joch

----Source: Millie Lee Collection

Welk, Ottilie Louis (December 3, 1865 - 1942)

Mrs. Ottillie L. Welk, 77 widely known as Central Wisconsin’s "hitchhiking grandmother," died at 7:15 o’clock last night at St. Joseph’s Hospital, where she had been a patient since last Sept, 26. She had been in poor health for the past several years.

The body will lie in state at the Seehafer-Hansen Funeral Home from Friday noon until the time of the funeral services Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the funeral home. The Rev. G.M. Krueger of Immanuel Lutheran Church will officiate at the rites, and burial will be made in Hillside Cemetery.

Mrs. Welk, nee Otillie Louis Bauernfeind, was born in New London Dec. 3, 1865, and was married at Appleton Jan. 1, 1891, her husband preceding her in death in 1934. A well-known State Fair visitor for a number of years, Mrs. Welk had gone to the 1942 (correction - 1938) Fair by her usual mode of travel, hitchhiking.

Surviving are five children, Mrs. Gustave (Sadie) Struck, Marshfield; Mrs. Albert (Clara) Struck, Marshfield; Mrs. Albert (Clara) Struck, Spencer; George Welk, Marshfield; Clarence Welk, Milwaukee; and Hugo Welk, Marshfield. Another son died in infancy.

Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Adolph (Bertha) Fehrke, New London, and Miss Ella Bauenfeind, Appleton; two brothers, Charles and Rina Bauernfeind, both of Appleton; 22 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Two grandsons are in the service, Corp. LaVern H. Struck, son of the Gustave Strucks, in New Guinea, and Corp. Alvin L. Struck, son of the Albert Strucks, in Greenville, S.C.

Besides her parents, the Nicholas Bauernfeinds, Mrs. Welk was preceded in death by two sisters, Mrs. Emma Geisler, in November, 1938, and Mrs. Annie Joch, in November, 1939.

1900 Federal Census, ED 88 Kaukauna city Ward 2-3, Outagamie, Wisconsin, United States, pg. 13, family 254

Ottilie Welk, white, married female
father's birthplace: Germany
mother's birthplace: Germany
years married: 10
estimated marriage year: 1890
mother how many children: 4
number living children: 3

Household Members
head Hermann Welk M 37 Wisconsin
wife Ottilie Welk F 35 (Dec 1865) Wisconsin
daughter Sadie Welk F 7 Wisconsin
daughter Clara Welk F 5 Wisconsin
son George Welk M 2 Wisconsin