GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH OBITUARIES

MARTHA A. BEHNKE COLLINS - Funeral services for Mrs. Martha Behnke at the First German Evangelical Church Thursday afternoon were attended by Mr. and Mrs. William Matznick, Harvey Matznick, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Kraus, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Damm, Mrs. Bertha Matznick, Mrs. Edgar Schneider and Mr. and Mrs. Marne Krueger. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. February 8, 1954 P. 15


WILLIAM R. BEHNKE (d. 1943) William R. Behnke, 65, of route 1, Manitowoc, died early today. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 1:30 p.m. from the Wattawa, Urbanek and Schlei funeral home, and at two o'clock from the First German Evangelical Lutheran church, the Rev. L. H. Koeninger officiating. Burial will be in the Grace Lutheran cemetery at Valders. Mr. Behnke was born at Rockland in 1877 and in 1898 married Miss Martha Matznick. They located on a farm at Rockland, near Valders. For 12 years Mr. Behnke served on the Valders district school board. Two years ago the family moved to this city where he was engaged in business for a year and then moved back to a small farm on Highway 151 west of the city in the town of Manitowoc Rapids. Survivors are the widow; four daughters, Mrs. Carl Draheim of Sheboygan, Mrs. Arthur Brandes of this city, Mrs. Harold Fitzpatrick and Mrs. William Lorch of Milwaukee; three sons, Paul, Fred and William, Jr., all of this city; brother, Adolph, of this city; sister, Mrs. Minnie Halverson of this city; 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. The body may be viewed at the funeral home from 4 p.m. Wednesday until the hour of the services Thursday. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. January 12, 1943 P. 2


WILLIAM R. BEHNKE (d. 1956) William R. Behnke, 43, of 1410 S. 37th St., Manitowoc, died Saturday morning at the Holy Family Hospital, Manitowoc. He had been in failing health eight years. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First German Evangelical Lutheran Church, Manitowoc. The Rev. L.H. Koeninger will officiate and burial will be in a Valders cemetery. He was born Nov. ?, 1912, in Cato, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William R. Behnke and accompanied his parents to Manitowoc. On Dec. 18, 1937, he married Miss Elizabeth Petersohn. Until taken ill he was employed by the Kingsbury Breweries Co. Surviving are his wife, a son, and daughter (Survivors omitted for privacy.); two brothers, Ferdinand of Manitowoc, Paul of Milwaukee; four sisters, Mrs. Carl Draheim of Sheboygan, Mrs. Harold Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Arthur ????des and Mrs. William Lords, all of Milwaukee. Friends may call at the Urbanek and Schlei Funeral Home, Manitowoc, after Monday noon. The casket will be moved to the church at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. March 31, 1956 P. 13


JACOB F. BLAHNIK Jacob F. Blahnik, 59, of Clarks Mills, died Monday evening at Memorial Hospital, Manitowoc, following a lingering illness. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Grace Lutheran Church, Valders, with the Rev. Paul Hensel officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Mr. Blahnik was born Dec. 16, 1899, at Prauge, Czechoslovakia son of the late Louis and Antoniette Barnesh Blahnik. He moved to the United States as a younster with his family and settled at Appleton until 1920 when he came to Manitowoc County. He was a Navy veteran of World War I. He married the former Viola Peters Sept. 7, 1920, at Stambaugh, Mich. For the past 11 years he was employed at Lakeside Machine Shop and was a member of Machinists Local 516 of Manitowoc. He also served as president of Grace Lutheran Church for five years. Survivors include his wife, three daughters, three brothers, Charles of Los Angeles, John of LaCrosse and Lewis of Appleton; two sisters, Mrs. Julis Balza of Appleton and Mrs. Raymond Kessler of Kaukauna; five grandchildren and several nephews and nieces. (Survivors edited for privacy) Friends may call at Berge Funeral Home, Valders, after 3 p.m. Wednesday until 11 a.m. Thursday when the body will be moved to the church to lie in state until the hour of service. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. September 1, 1959 P. 9


IDA FUHRMANN Mrs. Ida Fuhrmann, nee Ida Lueloff, 67, of 210 Fifth St., Neenah, died Wednesday evening at her home following a short illness. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Neenah. The Rev. Gerhard A. Schaefer will officiate and burial will be in Grace Memorial Cemetery at Valders. She was born in the Town of Eaton, Manitowoc County, Feb. 4, 1892. She was married to Otto Fuhrman and the couple operated a farm in the Town of Cato until 1916, then moved to the Town of Neenah, Winnebago County, where the couple famed until the death of Mr. Fuhrman in 1940. Since that time she lived in Neenah. She was a member of the Ladies Aid Society of Trinity Lutheran Church. Surivors include a brother, Otto Lueloff, and a nephew, Lester Lueloff, of Valders. Friends may call at Kessler Funeral Home, Neenah, after 3 p.m. Friday and at the church from 9 a.m. Saturday until the time of service. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. June 25, 1959 P. 24


OTTO FUHRMANN Otto Fuhrmann, 57, former county resident, died yesterday at his farm home on route 3, Neenah, following a lingering illness. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1:30 p.m. from the Sorenson funeral home in Neenah and at two o'clock from the Trinity Lutheran church. Burial will be in the Lutheran cemetery at Valders. Mr. Fuhrmann was born in 1882 at Clarksburg, Calumet county. He made his home in this county for five years and has been a resident of Winnebago county 28 years. Survivors include his widow, the former Ida Lueloff, and two sisters, Mrs. Clara Hackbarth of Neenah and Mrs. Fred Vetter of Neenah. The body may be viewed at the Neenah funeral home. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. April 25, 1940 P. 2


GERALD KIRCHMAN Gerald Kirchman, 36, yeoman first class, U.S. Coast Guard, stationed aboard the ship Mesquite, Sturgeon Bay, and who resided at 417 Fremont St., Algoma, died Tuesday at Naval Hospital, Great Lakes, Ill. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Pfeffer Funeral Home, Manitowoc. The Rev. Otto Gruendemann will officiate and burial will be in Grace Lutheran Cemetery, Valders. Mr. Kirchman was born March 15, 1937, at Algoma, son of the late Louis Kirchman and Wanda Eggert Kirchman. He served in the Coast Guard since Sept. 13, 1955. He also served in Vietnam. He married Naomi Helen Gruendemann July 2, 1960, at Manitowoc. (Survivors omitted for privacy.) A brother preceded him in death. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday. Herald Times Reporter, Manitowoc-Two Rivers, Wis. July 19, 1973


OTTO A. SCHWANKE Otto Schwanke, 79, of Rt. 3, Manitowoc, died Wednesday morning at Holy Family Hospital, Manitowoc. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church, Valders. The Rev. Carl Peters will officiate and burial will be in Grace Lutheran Cemetery. Mr. Schwanke was born Apr. 16, 1894, in the Town of Rantoul, son of the late William and Ella Johnston Schwanke. He attended school at Potter. He married Wilhelmina Bleck Nov. 18, 1920, at Valders. He was a farmer all his life. His wife preceded him in death. He was a member of the Eagles Aerie and American Legion Post of Valders. Survivors include a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Edna Schwanke, of Rt. 3, Manitowoc, a sister, Mrs. Lillian Wenzel, of Brillion and two grandchildren. A son and two brothers preceded him in death. Friends may call at Christianson-Deja Funeral Home, Valders, after 6 p.m. Friday until 11 a.m. Saturday and from noon at the church until the time of service. American Legion services will be at 8 p.m. Friday. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. January 16, 1974 P. 23 ********* (b. 16 Apr. 1894/d. Jan. 1974/SSDI)


WILHELMINA SCHWANKE Mrs. Otto A. Schwanke, 44, nee Wilhelmina Bleck, lifelong resident of the county, died last night at the Holy Family hospital. She was removed there a month ago from the home on route 3, Manitowoc, in the town of Newton. Funeral services will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. from the Berge funeral home in Valders, the Rev. Paul Hensel of Manitowoc officiating. Mrs. Schwanke was born in Rockland in 1896, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bleck, Sr., and in 1920 was married to Mr. Schwanke. They located on the present farm in Newton. Survivors are the widower; son, Loyal, on the home farm; two brothers, Reinhold and Edward Jr. of Valders; five sisters, Mrs. Edward Larson, Augusta and Esther of Valders, Mrs. C.M. Halderson, of this city, Mrs. Andonis Valleskey of Collins; father, Edward Bleck, Sr. Her mother died two years ago. The body may be viewed at the funeral home from Saturday noon until the hour of the services. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. May 22, 1941 P. 2


LYLE TEESCH Lyle Teesch, 44, of Rt. 1, Valders, died Wednesday morning at Manitowoc County Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Town of Liberty. The Rev. C.R. Rosenow will officiate and burial will be in Grace Lutheran Cemetery, Valders. Mr. Teesch was born July 2, 1927, in the Town of Cato, son of Mrs. Adeline Wilms Teesch and the late Elmer Teesch. He was a graduate of Valders High School with the Calss of 1946. (Survivors omitted for privacy.) A sister preceded him in death. Friends may call at Christiansen Funeral Home, Valders, after 4 p.m. Friday until noon Saturday and then at the church until the time of service. Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. March 23, 1972


ROBERT ZUTZ Robert Zutz, three-months old son of (private) Zutz, of St. Nazianz died Sunday morning at Madison. Private funeral services were 2 p.m Monday at the Christianson Funeral Home, St. Nazianz, the Rev. Paul G. Hensel officiating. Burial was in Grace Lutheran Cemetery, Valders. Robert was born Nov. 26, 1963, at Manitowoc. (Survivors omitted for privacy.) Manitowoc Herald Times, Manitowoc, Wis. March 2, 1964 P. 5