Obit: Niemi, Edythe (1912 - 2003)
Transcribed by Kipp Kippenhan

----Source: Wednesday, November 5, 2003 edition of the Tribune-Record-Gleaner

Edythe Niemi

Edythe Nieme, 91, Longwood, died Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2003 at Luther Hospital, Eau Claire. Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 1, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Longwood. The Rev. Terri Blomberg officiated. Interment was in Emmanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Edythe Melinda Bower was born May 16, 1912, in Arthur, N. Dakota to Lenard and Mabel (nee Farnham) Bower. She spent her early years in Saugus, Mont., where her parents homesteaded on land issued by the Chicago Milwaukee Railroad. She moved with her parents and seven siblings to Owen in 1927. She was a graduate of Owen High School. She married William Niemi on Nov. 26, 1930, in Chicago, Ill. They lived most of their married life in Clark County. She retired in 1974, as manager of the Greenwood Telephone Company, and traveled extensively with her husband. They spent 24 winters in McAllen, Texas, where she acted as tour coordinator for park residents. She was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

Survivors include her children, William (Vera) Niemi, Gurnee, Ill., Richard (Lois) Niemi, Milan, and Shirley Anne (Walter) Kangas, Owen; one daughter-in-law, Janet L. Niemi, Owen; three brothers, Albert Bower, Owen, Harry (Ellen) Bower, New Port Richey, Fla., and Leroy (Reba) Bower, Eufaula, Okla.; one sister, Lorabel Reynolds, Holiday, Fla.; one sister-in-law, Alma Bower, Richland Center; 21 grandchildren; 37 great- grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Bill Niemi, on Dec. 28, 1998; two sisters, Margaret Boehm and Shirley Rassmussen; one brother, George Bower, and two grandsons.

A memorial in her name will be designated at a later date.

Maurina Funeral Home, Owen, assisted the family with arrangements.