Obit: Campbell, Karen (1871 - 1943)

Contact: Crystal Wendt
Email:  crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Campbell, Sandbo, Strand, Petterson, Congdon, Longenecker, James, Hammerstad, Kniesely, Nordahl, Bollom, St. Claire, White, Bracken, Kunze, Begley

----Sources: The Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 11 Feb. 1943

Campbell, Karen (27 Nov. 1871 - 5 Feb. 1943)

Mrs. Ezra Campbell passed away at her home on the north side at 11:20 a.m. Friday, Feb. 5th, 19453, after a week’s illness following a heart attack.

Mrs. Campbell was born Nov. 27, 1871, near Whitehall, Wis., the daughter of Jacob and Rachel Sandbo. Her given name was Karen. When she was ten years of age her parents moved to the village of Whitehall where she attended the public schools and where she grew to maturity.

During her young womanhood, she worked as a waitress at Drummond and in Neillsville and it was here that she met Mr. Campbell, whom she married on April 5, 1893, the wedding taking place at the home of her parents at Whitehall. Had the departed lived until April fifth of this year, the couple would have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, the daughter already having made plans for a surprise celebration of the event. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell had always made their home here, except for short periods when Mr. Campbell was employed at Duluth, Minn.

They were the parents of one daughter, Sadie, Mrs. Eno Strand. She and her husband and a sister of Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Rachael Petterson of Osseo, were at the bedside with Mr. Campbell when the end came.

Mrs. Campbell was the type of woman who took the art of housekeeping seriously, her home at all times being a model of perfection. Yet she was able, until the last few years of failing health, to perform neighborly act wherever she saw the need. She was a pleasing neighbor and a stead--*[portion cut off here.]

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She was an active member of Golden Link Camp No. 78, R. N. A. of this city.

The departed is survived by her husband and daughter and by two sisters, Mrs. Petterson and Mrs. H. H. Congdon of Duluth. Her parents and a brother, Ole Sandbo, preceded her in death.

Funeral services were held at ten a.m. Wednesday at the Lowe Funeral Home, the Rev. G. W. Longenecker officiating. The body was then taken to Whitehall for interment in a lot beside that of her family, brief services being held there.

Here for the rites from distant points were: Mr. and Mrs. Strand, Minneapolis; the sister, Mrs. Petterson, Osseo; Mrs. Campbell’s sister, Mrs. Pearl James, Green Bay, Wis., and the following nieces and nephews: Mrs. Sam Hammerstad, Mrs. Emma Kniseley, John Petterson and Mrs. Nordahl Nelson, all of Osseo. The sister, Mrs. Congdon, Duluth, also was expected the other relatives met them at Whitehall to attend the rites.

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----Sources: The Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 4 March 1943

Women Pallbearers For Mrs. Campbell

At the recent burial services for Mrs. Ezra Campbell, six women, all members of the Royal Neighbors Lodge, acted as pallbearers. The Rev. G. W. Longenecker stated that during his fifty years as a pastor, this is the first time that all women were chosen as pallbearers.

Although the Rev. Longenecker has not kept count of the number of funerals at which he presided form the beginning of his ministry, he has kept an accurate account since his return to Neillsville in 1916, the total number of funerals being 718.

The bearers were Mrs. Campbell’s funeral, which was held on one of the stormiest, coldest days of the winter include; Mesdames C. E. Bollom, Harry St. Clair, William White, S. T. Bracken, Arthur Kunze and Marion Begley. They made the trip to Whitehall, where burial took place, as well as performing the service here.