Obit: Bemis, Amelia (1868 –1969)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Bemis, Edmonds, Church, Dimmitt, Corey, Bryner, Matti, Fitzmaurice, Burchall, O’Leary, Horswill, Van Splintern, Brooks, Hansen, Kroll, Adler, Mecham, Wallace, Zimmerman, Walker, Newton, Huotari, McVean, Miller, McReynolds, Olmsted, Bringman, Harris, Hauer, McBride, Johnson, Baumgartner, Winkler, Bailey, Greub, Terrill, Hardwick, Van Gorden, Grether, Dushek 
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) May 15, 1969

Bemis, Amelia (29 August 1869 - May 1969)

 
Death has stilled the busy hands of "Grandma" Bemis.

The centenarian, who in her earlier life had helped so many during illness and death in the Humbird area, was laid to rest Wednesday afternoon in the Mentor Cemetery at Humbird.

Formally Mrs. Amelia Bemis, "Grandma" succumbed Sunday to illness and old age at Memorial Hospital, where she had been a resident patient for nearly five years.  She had been active and keen of sight and mind until shortly before her death.

 
"Grandma" was a favorite among the nurses and nurse’s aides at the hospital for all the years she had made her home there.  In the last two years all but the urgent necessities stopped on August 29 on the lower floor while members of the hospital staff joined relatives in saluting the "young" lady on her birthday.  On each of the last two occasions, The Clark County Press reporter also was invited and he took pictures and wrote stories about this remarkable lady who seemed and acted 30 years younger than her full century of summers. 

From President: On the last occasion she showed the reporter a mitten she was engaged in knitting for one of her great-grandchildren, and she proudly attested that she still enjoyed reading and working with her hands on intricate things that require good eyesight.  Perhaps the same mitten is being worn by one of the children of Gary Corey of Neillsville, for Mrs. Corey is a granddaughter of Grandma Bemis.

On the occasion of her 100^th birthday Grandma received a congratulatory message from Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson, and this was like whipped cream on the birthday cake for her.  She was most pleased with the attention that had been paid to her by the President of the United States.

 
As a practical nurse in her earlier years, in Humbird, Mrs. Bemis assisted in many households in the Humbird area, during times of illness, and she helped the Humbird mortician of the time in preparations for funerals of residents and friends (whom) her efforts had failed to save.

 
The services for Grandma Wednesday afternoon were conducted from the Georgas Funeral Home in Neillsville, with the Rev. William Dushek in charge.

Mrs. Bemis, daughter of Judilah and Rebecca (Edmonds) Church, was born August 29, 1868, in Clintonville, where she received her education.  She was married there to Walter Bemis on July 24, 1890.

 
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) May 22, 1969

 
Funeral services for Mrs. Amelia Bemis, 100, who died here May 11, were held May 14 from the Georgas Funeral Home, with the Rev. William Dushek officiating.  Burial was made in the Mentor Cemetery.

 
Pallbearers were: John Bryner, George Dimmitt, Richard Matti, Jake Fitzmaurice, John Burchall and Russell O’Leary.

Mrs. Ruth Van Gorden sang, "Mother’s Evening Prayer" and "The Ninety-First Psalm," accompanied by Mrs. Marie Grether.

 
People from out of town here for the included: Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Dimmitt of Norfolk, Va.; Clayton Bemis and Lucille Van Splintern of Newaygo, Mich.; Mr. and Mrs. Donald Horswill and family, and Mr. and Mrs. Ray Brooks and family of Morris, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Hansen and Steve Hansen of Watertown; Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Kroll of Dodgeville; Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Kroll of Mineral Point.

 
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Adler, Ira Mecham, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Adler, Patty and David Adler of Round Lake, ILL.; Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Mecham of Arlington Heights, Ill.; Mrs. Carol Huotari and Andrew of Melrose Park, Ill.; Frank McVean and Ruth Miller of Spencer; Mr. and Mrs. Neil McReynolds of Freemont, Mich.; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Olmsted of Medina; Grace Bringman of Appleton; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Harris of Altoona; Paul Hauer of La Crosse; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Miller of Black River Falls; Mrs. Richard McBride of Loyal; and Mrs. Pearl C. Johnson of Marshfield.

 
People from Humbird included: John Bryner, Mr. and Mrs. John Burchall, Mr. and Mrs. George Dimmitt, Mr. and Mrs. Russell O’Leary, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Matti, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Fitzmaurice, Mr. and Mrs. Orin Bemis, Mr. and Mrs. Harland Bemis, Mrs. Daniel Wallace, Mrs. Earl Zimmerman, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Zimmerman, Mrs. Laura Baumgartner, Mrs. Hulda Winkler, Mrs. Maude Newton, Mrs. Emma O’Leary, Mr. and Mrs. Louis S. Fitzmaurice, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Bailey, Mr. and Mrs. John Greub, Mrs. Hugh Terrell, Mrs. Elwin Harris, Mrs. Elgie Hardwick and Mrs. Phillip Fitzmaurice.