Obit: Kuester, Ferdinand Otto (1879 - 1955)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Kuester, Seman, Bub, Gutzmer, Stucki, Zabler, Grap, Hemp, O’Brien, Keller, DeMert, Landerman, Lukesh, Ebert, Mattes, Bruns, Dill, Fravert, Toburen, Reineking, Liebzeit, Abel, Matkovich, Guthmiller, Gress, Meihack, Wetzel, Martens, Resong, May, Volz, Grether, Vornholdt  
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) August 11, 1955 
 

Kuester, Ferdinand Otto (11 November 1879 - 5 August 1955) 
 

Ferdinand Otto Kuester, 76, a retired farmer and former businessman of this community, died Friday noon.  He had undergone major surgery earlier in the week, having been in poor health for several months. 
 

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon from Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church with the Rev. Albert Guthmiller in charge. Burial took place in the Neillsville City Cemetery. 
 

Mr. Kuester was born November 11, 1879, at Sheboygan to Christian and Mary (Seman) Kuester.  He received his education in the schools of Sheboygan County and as a young man worked on his father’s farm. 
 

His marriage to Anna Bub took place November 21, 1903, and for five years he and his wife operated his father’s farm.  They then moved to Franklin where, for several years, they operated a hotel.  Later Mr. and Mrs. Kuester moved to Schoolhill, where they owned a meat market. 
 

In 1913 they moved to Clark County, where they farmed.  After their retirement from farming he built and operated the Kuester Meat Market on North Grand Ave.  Their retirement from active work came in 1935.  Their son-in-law, Harold O’Brien, took over the operation of the meat market in 1935, and still operates it under the original name. 
 

In 1947 Mr. and Mrs. Kuester built a new home near the meat market, where they have resided since.  Mr. Kuester often helped in the market. 
 

The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1953. 
 

Although not in good health for several years, Mr. Kuester did not become seriously ill until four weeks ago.  
 

He is survived by his wife and nine children: Mrs. Arthur (Mabel) Gutzmer, Milwaukee; Mrs. Benj. (Ella) Stucki, Neillsville; Roman Kuester, Milwaukee; Mrs. Earl (Anna) Zabler, West Allis; Mrs. Carl (Minnie) Grap, Milwaukee; Mrs. john (Amanda) hemp, La Crosse; Mrs. Harold (Sadie) O’Brien, Neillsville; Mrs. Beulah Keller, Kenosha; and Mrs. Oscar (Isabelle) DeMert, Neillsville.  Three brothers, Henry Kuester of Sheboygan, William Kuester of Milwaukee, and Fred Kuester of Loyal also survive. 
 

Mr. Kuester was a member of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed church for 43 years. 
 

Pallbearers were: Arthur Gress, George Meihack, Emil Wetzel, John Martens, Joseph Resong and Otto May.

Mrs. George Volz and Mrs. Arthur Gress were in charge of the flowers. 
 

The men’s chorus and Mrs. Jacob Stucki sang several selections.  They were accompanied by Mrs. Jacob Grether and directed by Mark Vornholdt. 
 

Close relatives from out of town attending the service were: Mrs. Beulah Keller and three children, Robert Landerman, Kenosha; Mr. and Mrs. Roman Kuester and three children, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gutzmer and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Grap and family, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lukesh and William Kuester, all of Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. John Hemp, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. John Hemp, Jr., of La Crosse; Mr. and Mrs. Earl Zabler and daughters, West Allis; Miss Marie Stucki, Chicago; William Stucki, Madison; Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Stucki and daughter, Cincinnati, O.; Fred Kuester, Mrs. Norma Kuester and Miss Lois Ebert all of Loyal; Arthur Kuester, Mrs. Philip Mattes, Thorp; Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Kuester, Howards Grove, Wis.; Henry Kuester, Mr. and Mrs. Roland Bub, Sheboygan; Mrs. Bertha Kuester, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bruns, Kiel; Mr. and Mrs. Morris Bub and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Bub, Plymouth;  Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bub, Milan; George Kuester, William Kuester, Mrs. Lydia Dill, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Fravert, Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Kuester, Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Toburen, Mrs. Orland Fravert, all of Greenwood; Mrs. Olga Reineking, Lake Forest, Ill; Mrs. Clarence DeCremer and sons, Owen; Mrs. Clara Liebzeit, Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Abel, Greenwood; Mr. and Mrs. William O’Brien, Black River Falls, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Kuester, Greenwood; and Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Matkovich, Willard…