Obit: Bruss, Robert A. (1880 - 1959)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Bruss, Ganz, Lipkie, Georgas, Seefeldt, Manz, Suckow, Holt, Wachholz, Dankemyer, Mitte, Tyler, Greeler, Lehman, Krause, Swarthout,, Sedlak, Beawer, Ziehlsdorf, Hahn, Jasinski, Schultz, Schewe, Mickal, Scharf, Gluch, Schnabel, Sersch, Volz, Denk, Zillmer, Seivert, Kraft, Oestreich, Lindloff

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) August 20, 1959

Bruss, Robert A. (24 October 1880 - 14 August 1959)

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon from St. John’s Lutheran Church for Robert A. Bruss, 78, of Neillsville who died Friday at his home following a short illness. The Rev. Norman Lindloff officiated and burial was made in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

The body was taken from the Georgas Funeral Home to the church an hour prior to services.

Mr. Bruss was born October 24, 1880, in Germany, the son of the late Karl and Albertine (Ganz) Bruss.  When he was six months old his parents, a brother and a sister, came to the United States, arriving in Milwaukee.  A short time later they purchased a farm north of Spencer.  Here Mr. Bruss received his education in the Lutheran School and in March, 1894, he was confirmed in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer.  He then did farm work and worked in logging and lumbering camps.

In 1903 he came to Neillsville, and for a number of years worked as a cheesemaker in a factory where the Donald Hagie welding shop is now located in the Town of Levis.  He also worked in factories in the Town of York and in Alma Center.  On December 23, 1907, he was married to the former Emma Lipkie at Neillsville.

In 1908 Mr. and Mrs. Bruss moved onto a farm where they lived until 1920, when they moved in to Neillsville.  For 18 years he worked as a carpenter, and in 1942, he went to work at the Neillsville Milk Products as a buttermaker, cheesemaker and fireman.  He retired from active work in 1951 due to a heart condition.

Mr. and Mrs. Bruss celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in August, 1957.

He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Mrs. E. A. (Edna) Georgas; a sister, Mrs. Ida Seefeldt, Spencer; and four brothers, Albert, Colby; Frank, August and Otto, all of Spencer. 

Pallbearers were: George Manz, Martin, Willard, Elmer, Elroy and Leonard Bruss, all nephews.

Flowers were carried by Mrs. Roy Suckow, Mrs. Merton Holt, Mrs. Armand Wachholz and Mrs. Gerald Dankemyer.

"A Pilgrim and a Stranger" and "Abide With Me" were sung by Robert Mitte, Mrs. Roger Tyler and Miss Janice Greeler, accompanied by Victor Lehman. 

People from out-of-town here for the services were: Mrs. Ida Seefeldt, Mrs. Bertha Bruss, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Krause, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Bruss, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Bruss, Otto Bruss, Mr. and Mrs. August Bruss, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bruss, Leonard and Martin Bruss, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wachholz, Mrs. Norman Wachholz and Karen, and Mr. and Mrs. B. C. Swarthout, all of Spencer.

Mrs. Albert Bruss, Mr. and Mrs. William Sedlak, Colby; the Rev. and Mrs. Arnold Beawer, Hamburg; Mr. and Mrs. George Manz, Mrs. Gerhardt Ziehlsdorf, Mrs. A. G. Hahn, Mrs. Leonard Jasinski and Roger, Mrs. Betty Schultz, The Rev. and Mrs. Alfred Schewe, all of Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. Allen Mickal, Waupaca; Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Scharf, Mr. and Mrs. John Gluch, Mrs. Merton Holt, Mrs. Roger Tyler, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Schnabel and family, all of Granton.

Mr. and Mrs. Verlyn Schnabel and Patricia, Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Gluch, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Sersch and family, Marshfield; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Schnabel and family, Chili; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Volz, Wisconsin Rapids; Elroy Bruss, Cedarburg; Mr. and Mrs. William Denk, and Mrs. Alfred Zillmer, Greenwood; Prof. and Mrs. Erich Sievert, New Ulm, Minn.; Mrs. Arbie Kraft, Seymour; and Mrs. Elmer Oestreich, Loyal.