Obit: Hale, Catharine #2 (1845 - 1917)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Hale, Sternitzky, Miller, Martin, Opelt

----Source: Granton News (Granton, Clark County, Wis.) 01/12/1917

Hale, Catharine (20 DEC 1845 - 8 JAN 1917)

Mrs. Lucas hale on Sunday, the last day of the year 1916, suffered a partial stroke of paralysis which affected her left side and caused her much discomfort, although she did not give up at once, and take to her bed.  Monday morning though, she was so much worse that it was impossible for her to arise.  Dr. Housley of Chili was called and although Mrs. Hale remained her natural faculties and was conscious up to the last, , he could offer her relatives no hope and she continued to gradually fail, and a week later passed away at 10 Monday night, Jan. 8^th, 1917.  Her husband and children ever remaining within her call and caring for her in a manner well bespeaking the beloved wife and mother she was.  All were at her bedside when the final summons came.

Deceased was born Catharine Miller, a daughter of Mr. and Lambert Miller of Hartford, Wis., Dec. 20^th, 1845.  When she was 10 years old her parents moved to Neillsville (Clark Co., Wis.) where she grew up and on Feb. 11^th, 1860 she was married to Carl Sternitzky.  Mr. and Mrs. Sternitzky then took up residence in the town of Lynn on the farm which has ever since been her home and where she died.  Mr. and Mrs. Sternitzky were blessed with four children, two boys and two girls, Albert and William, Mrs. John Martin and Mrs. Max Opelt, all of Lynn, until a few weeks ago when Mrs. Opelt moved to her new home in Levis.

Her first husband and their father Carl Sternitzky died seventeen years ago this month.  In Sept. 1904 deceased was married to Lucas Hale.  He, with he four children, 19 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren survive her.  The funeral will be held from the home at 1 o’clock this Friday afternoon, Rev. Hasz of the Maple Works German Lutheran Church officiating.  Interment will be made in the Lynn Cemetery beside the body of her deceased husband.  Her grandsons Joseph, Leo, Gilbert, Carl and Rudolph Sternitzky, and Carl Opelt will act as pallbearers at her funeral.

Deceased was an excellent woman, a good wife and mother, a kind neighbor and friend, who had endeared herself to the community in general, andw as loved most by those who knew her best.  To say that she will be missed only inadequately expresses the vacancy made by the hand of the Grim Reaper.  Her life was spent honestly and industriously, and her memory will long remain in the hearts of all who knew her.  The floral tributes during her illness and sent in for the funeral are many and beautiful.  The Carnation Art Club of Lynn mutely testifying to the esteem in which she was held, contributed a beautiful carnation piece for the funeral today.

A particularly sad co-incident in connection with this death was the fact that while her daughter Mrs. Max Opelt was at her bedside the day of her death and Mr. Opelt driving home from there with his daughter Martha, found his father Carl Opelt dead as the result of heart trouble or apoplexy.  Mr. Opelt’s father was buried on Thursday.