Obit: Kowalk, Bertha Louise (1878 - 1940)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Kowalk, Hoffmann, Sachse, Schultz, Quist, Lamont, Baumgart, Rucks, Prange, Eder, Sill, Wolfe, Stargardt, Vircks, Retz, O'Brien, Luchterhand, Kanter, Pacholke

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 02/15/1940

Kowalk, Bertha Louise (17 June 1878 - 12 Feb. 1940)

Mrs. William Kowalk died Monday morning at 5:45 at the home of her son, Otto Kowalk, in the town of Colby, where she had been living since the death of her husband, heart trouble being the cause of her death. Mrs. Kowalk had been ailing for six years and seriously ill the past week.

Funeral services will be held this Thursday afternoon at 1:15 at the home and at 2:00 o’clock at Zion Lutheran church in Colby, Rev. O. Hoffmann officiating, and internment will be made in the Colby cemetery. Pall bearers are Louis Sachse, Chas. Schultz, Chas. Quist, Angus Lamont, Otto Baumgart and Paul Rucks.

Bertha Louise Kowalk, daughter of John and August Prange, was born in Machhow, Hinter Pommern, Germany, on June 17, 1878, thus reaching the age of 61 years, 7 months and 25 days. She emigrated to the United States in 1900 and came directly to the town of Hull, Marathon county. Several months later, on Sept. 29, 1900, she was married to Wm. Kowalk at Colby and always was an active member of the Ladies Aid and Sewing Society of Zion Lutheran church.

Surviving are three children, Mrs. W. E. Sachse of R. 1, Colby, Mrs. F. F. Eder of R. 2, Colby, and Otto Kowalk of R. 2, Colby; three step-sons, Ernest Kowalk of R. 1, Unity, George Kowalk of R. 1, Unity, and Fred Kowalk of R. 2, Colby; her father, John Prange of Colby; one grand child; four step grand children; two sisters and five brothers, August Prange of Chicago, Ill., Carl Prange of Unity, Max Prange of North Fond du Lac, Otto Prange of Racine, Wm. Prange of Ridgeland, Mrs. Godfrey Baumgart of Unity, Mrs. Frank Sill of Colby, Wis. Her husband died Feb. 11, 1935, and two brothers and two sisters also preceded her in death.

The deceased was a good Christian and her life was gentle. She was always ready to lend a helping hand in time of need - both in acts of kindness and in words. She was of a hospitable disposition and will be remembered for a long time by many.

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 02/22/1940

Funeral services for Mrs. William Kowalk, age 61, daughter of John and Augusta Prange, who died at her home in the town of Colby, were held Thursday afternoon at Zion Lutheran church in Colby, Rev. O. Hoffmann officiating, and internment was made in the Colby cemetery. Pall bearers were Louis Sachse, Charles Schulz, Angus Lamont, Charles Quist, Otto Baumgart and Paul Rucks. Those in charge of the flowers were Mr. and Mrs. Alphonse Gries, Misses Edna Kobs, Geraldine Marx, Hildegarde Prange, Ella Prange and Constance Wolfe.

Out of town people here for the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Max Prange of North Fond du Lac, Mr. and Mrs. William Prange of Ridgeland, Emil Retz of Boyceville, Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe and August Wiede of Unity, Mrs. Carl Stargardt and daughter, Martha, of Athens, Mrs. Otto Vircks of Athens, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Sill of Chippewa Falls, Mr. and Mrs. James O’Brien of Oshkosh, Mr. and Mrs. Julius Luchterhand and daughter, Louise, of Unity, Miss Rosalia Kanter of Marshfield, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Baumgart and son, Duane, of Owen, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Pacholke of Greenwood and Miss Betty Prange of North Fond du Lac.