Bio: |
Decker, Otto, (19 July 1871- 29 October 1956) Meier, Lydia(26 July 1881-8 July 1936) Decker, Otto 29 December 1914-8 March 1989) |
Posted by: |
Debbie (Decker) O'Connor, doconnor54@comcast.net |
Surnames: |
DECKER DIESS GEHMKE GEISLER HALTER KRAATZ MEIER TEACE |
----Source: obituary, marriage license, registers office, Clark
Co., Wisc, family bible, church records, family memories
Decker, Otto Sr. (19 JUL 1871- 29 OCT
1956)
Meier, Lydia (26 JUL 1881-8 JUL 1936)
Decker, Otto Jr. (29 DEC 1914-8 MAR 1989)
Otto Decker, Sr. was born on July
19, 1871, in Sheybogan County, Wisconsin. He was the son of
Friedrich Decker who was born in Lippe Detmold, Germany and Maria
Meier who was also born in Germany. Otto (1871) had 5 brothers and
5 sisters: Augusta (1859), Frederic (1862), August (1863), Henry
(1864), Herman (1869), Louisa (Kraatz) (1876), Bertha (Gehmke)
(1873) and Ferdinand (1874), Emilie Magthalone (1880, died at 1
year), Emilie Albertina (Amelia Geisler, 1881). The first five were
half siblings from Friedrich's first marriage to Wilhelmenia Teace
(Diess).
Otto married Lydia Meier in Greenwood, Wisconsin at the Westside
Reformed Church. The marriage was performed by J. Schmalz, Minister
of the Gospel. The witnesses were August H. Meier, brother of
Lydia, and Louisa Decker, sister of Otto.
On April 18, 1899 Otto bought his 80 acre farm for $450.00. Legal
description of the farm was: the north 1/2 of the north east
quarter of section 30, township twenty seven, North of range two
west.
Otto and Lydia were the parents of 10 children, Friedrich,
Theodore, Gilbert, Edan, Elsie, Leona, Dorothy, Eleanor, Arthur,
and Otto. During his life time Otto senior worked as a dairy
farmer, cheese maker, cook at a logging camp, and was town
treasurer.
Lydia died at the age of 54 on July 8, 1936 of cardio vascular
renal disease. Otto Sr. lived to be 85. He died of cerebral
thrombosis after spending 30 days in a nursing home. They are both
buried at the Westside Cemetery, Greenwood, Wisconsin.
It has been said that Lydia was a very religious women who was
active in her church and at one time served as president of the
Ladies' Aid Society. People have told that her house and table were
open to anyone who came to her door. Even salesmen were invited in
for a cup of coffee. Otto Sr. visited his son, Otto Jr., in
Illinois. I was too young to remember but Otto's wife Shirley said
Grandpa Decker would eat limberger cheese and onions on rye bread
for his snack. As of 2000 all Otto and Lydias's children are
deceased except Elsie who will be 96 on April 5, 2002.
Children of Otto and Lydia at a family reunion in late 60's or
early 70's.
Back row, L>R: Otto, my father , Gib, Ted, & Fred
Front row Elsie, Edna, Eleanor, Leona, & Dorothy
My father, Otto Jr., always remembered Greenwood fondly. He
attended the Decker school and graduated from the eighth grade. As
a child he could speak German. He told of milking cows by hand
before school in the morning and again in the evening. As ayoung
man he drove a milk truck and worked as a cheese maker as well as
working on the family farm. After his mother died he left the farm
and moved to Belvideere, Illinois. On October 15, 1941 he was
drafted into the Army and after basic training at Fort Bennings,
Georgia he was shipped overseas on May 10, 1942. He was attached to
the 4th tank battalion, First Armoured division. He landed in
Northern Ireland. This was the first boatload of troops that was
taken overseas on the Queen Mary. He participated in the Northern
African and Italian campaigne through the duration of WWII. In 1950
he married Shirley Halter. They had five children and raised them
on a farm near Marengo, Illinois. Otto Decker, Jr. died March 8,
1989 from cancer.
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