Obit: Winn, Bertha (1863 - 1938)

Contact:  Crystal Wendt

Surnames: Winn, Wegner, Tragsdorf, Russell, Fitch, Martin, Grinde, Zone, Baumann, Hemp, Hagedorn, Zaeske, Schuster, Eide, Petersen, Schoengarth, Listeman, Mergatrode, Brown, Marsh, Ketel, Jerrold, Krause, Friederich, Schmidt, Furstenberg, Selvig

----Sources: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 19 May 1938

Winn, Bertha (16 April 1863 - 13 May 1938)

Mrs. Webster Winn passed away suddenly at the Purdy High School auditorium at Marshfield Friday afternoon, May 13, 1938, at 1 o’clock of a heart attack, where she was attending the band contest, going over earlier in the day with her daughter, Mrs. A. E. Russell, and granddaughter, Miss Marcia Russell.

Bertha Wegner was born April 16, 1863, in Pomerania, Germany, to Carl and Louisa Wegner. She came with her parents to the United States when she was nine years of age, settling in the town of Pine Valley.

On March 28, 1881, she was married to Bernhardt Tragsdorf (for many years in the mercantile business in this city), who preceded her in death on Oct. 16, 1909. Seven children were born to this union, six of whom survive: Wm. Tragsdorf, Balboa, Canal Zone; Clara, Mrs. R. Fitch, Madison; Lillian, Mrs. J. H. Martin, Rustyon, La.; Elsie, Mrs. Joe Grinde, Madison; Walter Tragsdorf, Cristobal, Canal Zone, and Edna, Mrs. A. E. Russell, Neillsville, Wis. A son, Frederich, died at the age of five years.

On March 28, 1922, Mrs. Tragsdorf was married to Webster Winn of Granton, who survives her.

Mrs. Winn had been a resident of this county for 66 years. She was an ideal helpmate and mother, a kind and helpful neighbor and a steadfast friend. Even during the past few years when her own health was not always good, she found courage to call upon and cheer her friends when illness and misfortune befell them. One never saw Mrs. Winn without a smile, and it can be truly said that hers was a life well spent, complete.

Funeral services were held Monday, May 16, 1938, at 1:30 p.m. at the Lowe Funeral Home and at 2 o’clock at St. John’s Lutheran Church in this city, Rev. Wm. A. Baumann officiating. The pallbearers were Arthur Wegner, W. F. Hemp, Ben Wegner, Albert Wegner, Robert Wegner, and Paul Hagedorn. The honorary pallbearers were Otto Zaeske, Jeff Schuster, Harry Eide, A J. Petersen, Oscar Schoengarth and Kurt Listeman.

Those from out of town who attended the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Winn and son and Mrs. John Mergatrode, Wisconsin Rapids; Ed Brown, Fond du Lac; Mrs. Ruby Marsh, Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Ketel, Ladysmith; Mrs. C. Jerrold, Port Washington; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Krause and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Friederich, Chippewa Falls; Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Schmidt, Miss Evelyn Furstenberg and L. C. Selvig, Marshfield; Miss Katherine Winn, Granton; also all of Mrs. Winn’s children, except the town sons from Panama.