Sunday's Obituary - Roman Boegel

Eleanor (Delling) and Roman Boegel

Roman was the oldest of four known children born to John and Bertha Boegel nee Rosbeck.

Roman was my husband's great uncle.

"Roman Boegel

Roman W. Boegel, 78, of 445 E. Main St., Kewaskum, died Monday, March 31, 1980, at St. Agnes Hospital where he was a patient for three days.

He was born Sept. 16, 1901, in Milwaukee, a son of the late John and Bertha Rosbeck Boegel.  On May 20, 1930, he married Eleanor Delling at St. Michaels.

Mr. Boegel was a retired Town of Theresa, Dodge County, farmer before moving to Kewaskum 16-1/2 years ago.

Surviving are his wife; a son, Paul of rural Kewaskum; a grandchild; and a sister, Mrs. Romand (Leona) Kuehl of St. Kilian.  Two brothers preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be held at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Miller's Funeral Home, Kewaskum, and at 8:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Kewaskum.  The Rev. John T. Budde will officiate, and interment will take place in Shrine of Rest Chapel Mausoleum, Ledgeview Memorial Park Cemetery.

Friends of Mr. Boegel may call after 3 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home."

We've Arrived in Hell

North Colorado Springs looking at the mountains

Believe it or not, I was able to see the smoke on the mountain from 85 miles outside Colorado Springs. I wondered at the first distant sight of the mountains if that could possibly be the smoke.  Then I tried to reason (looking at the Garmin which told me I was 85 miles away) that this couldn't be the smoke, but I kept my mind trained on the area as we got closer to the city and I realized eventually that, yes, you could see smoke from 85+ miles away.

The sun emerging from the smoke

We went out into Colorado Springs today looking for temporary lodging until a house could be found.  The smoke was always present on the mountains.  A constant reminder that there were people out there fighting the fires.  C130s would fly over the mountains dropping water and retardant onto the flames and 5% fire containment was reached this afternoon.  A small percentage to be sure, but much better than the 0% that we had been hearing for days.  Then the winds picked up this afternoon.  We're told that they reached 65+ mph in the mountains and the direction was blowing east toward the city.  By the time we left the hotel for dinner there was smoke all over I-25.

We drove north on I-25 toward Monument, Colorado for dinner.  It was rush hour and traffic was pretty heavy.  The smoke grew so thick that the street lights began to come on and ash fell lightly from the sky.  The horizon to the east (180 degrees opposite the fire) was darkened by the heavy smoke and the sun which had previously been entirely enveloped in the smoke emerged a deep red.

A helicopter battling the fires

We got out of dinner around 7:30pm and the smoke had improved, but you could now see flames on the mountainside and we were told by other bystanders outside the restaurant that homes had finally caught fire.  We took a drive in Monument looking for homes that might suit us and as the sun finally set over the mountains and all became dark, a faint glow remained in the distance reminding us that there was still a battle going on.

We are safe where we are staying, and where we are looking to move is likewise safe.  I pray for the people that are losing their homes and memories, and I pray for the emergency responders that are working around the clock trying to keep this city safe.

On the road again!

It's finally time to head back home to Colorado Springs!  I enjoyed my time in Wisconsin and Iowa visiting family, but we need to find a home/school/Boy Scout Troop/Cub Scout Pack.  The fires aren't really where we'll be looking and hopefully they won't spread too much.  Looking forward to spending more time on my blog as soon as I can get some time away from my wonderful children.  God bless our ancestors for living in such close quarters because I need SPACE!

Until next time have fun tending your roots!

Funeral Card Friday - Praying for the Dead

Today, I'm not sharing one particular Funeral Card, but sharing/explaining something that many will see on Memorial and Funeral Cards, but may not understand. Indulgences.

Now, this isn't an "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Indulgences, But Were Afraid to Ask" post.  I'm not an expert on all the intricacies of indulgences nor do I feel that it is important to explain how the praying of an indulgence doesn't help every sin.  That's besides the point.  If you'd like to know more than what I'm presenting on indulgences you can check out more on "Catholic Answers".  What I want to do is explain why they are on these cards and why the living pray for the dead.

Catholics are taught that there is a Purgatory.  That when we die a soul goes to Purgatory until their sins are atoned for.  Purgatory is like jail for the soul.  If you are in Purgatory, you will eventually go to Heaven.  If you go to Hell, well, you go to Hell.  Sorry about your luck (but that really doesn't stop Catholics from praying for those either...forever hopeful).  We naturally like the thought of our loved ones getting to Heaven sooner, so we pray for them.  Does it help?  God only knows, but it couldn't hurt, right?

Card & indulgences in German

Catholics aren't the only ones to pray for the dead.  Other faiths have this practice as well, but Catholics may be the best known for it, because indulgences have been abused in the past as well as misunderstood by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.  The bottom line on the abuse of indulgences, or the "selling" of indulgences is that we don't really know that God will accept them.  A corrupt clergyman "selling" an indulgence...well, I could sell you a bridge in New York too and that would be about as worthless.

Indulgences went out of practice in the 1960s, but I'm told that the Catholic Church was bringing them back to some extent.  So you may notice them on cards up to and including the 1960s and then not in more recent cards, but don't be surprised if they start appearing again!

So on the back of many of the cards, when you see a certain number of "days of indulgence" are granted for praying the card's prayer or for saying so many "Hail Marys" or "Our Fathers" we are talking about a period of time lessened for the person that died.

Why does/did the Catholic Church encourage the praying of indulgences?  "...To spur them to works of devotion, penance and charity...", and that doesn't sound like a bad thing to me.

A "quarantine" is equal to 40 days

*Some interesting information in the comments below from someone a lot more familiar with the intricacies of Catholicism than this old Catholic! Check it out!

Sunday's Obituary - J. B. Hermans

A few weeks ago I posted about a diamond anniversary for Mr and Mrs George Hermans, and that I would soon be working him into my family tree.  While visiting Wisconsin, I stopped by the Wisconsin Historical Society and pulled the obituary for George's father Jean Baptiste (yeah, that whole "Joseph" isn't quite right in the obit).  Trying to add to my research and maybe even discover some new information.

The New Era, 09NOV1892, pg 1 (Kewaunee County, WI)

Unfortunately as J.B. Hermans died in 1892 and newspapers were particularly lacking in many aspects to genealogist as far as obituaries went (unless your ancestor was famous...or infamous).  I'm glad to have them though, even with information being scant.  I now know the cemetery that he was buried in and as long as the rain keeps away, I plan to visit it on Monday.  Hopefully, I'll find him while I'm there!

The second obituary does make me laugh a bit.  Stating that J.B. was "about 45 years old" and leaves "about eight children".  I was beginning to wonder how they came by there information and what exactly they were sure of!

"Mr. Joseph B. Hermans, one of the most prominent farmers in Red River died last Sunday from a stroke of apoplexy.  He was well up to a few moments of his death, and died almost without warning.  He was 47 years old, and a highly respected man.  He was buried on Tuesday from the Catholic church at Walhain, Rev. Fr. Van Huyster officiating.  He was a native of Belgium, and leaves a wife and a large family of children."

Kewaunee Enterprise, 04NOV1892, pg 8

"-Died, of apoplexy, on Oct. 30, 1892, Mr. J. B. Hermans, of Tonet, town of Luxemburg:  His remains were interred in the Catholic church cemetery at Martinsville on Wednesday, Nov. 2nd, Re. Father Van Huyter officiating.  Deceased was about 45 years old and leaves a wife and about eight children, besides his aged mother, a brother and two sisters, to mourn his loss."

Wednesday's Child - Robert Schmidt

"Robert Schmidt

Robert Michael Schmidt, 5-month-old son of Alfred and Florence Weiland Schmidt, 254 W. Main St., Campbellsport, died at 3:15 a.m. today at St. Agnes Hospital.  He was born March 31.

Survivors include his parents: 10 brothers and sisters, Michael, Lorraine, Laverence, Norbert, Donald, Marion, Joseph, Joan, Christine and John, all at home, and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Weiland, St. Kilian, and Mr. and Mrs. Michael Schmidt, rural West Bend.

Friends may call after 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Twohig Funeral Home, Campbellsport.  Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and 11 a.m. at St. Matthew's Church, Rev. Warren Schmitt celebrating the Mass of the Angels.  Burial will be in the church cemetery."

I was about to say that the clipping wasn't dated (and it's not), but I actually found the article on Ancestry and was able to put a date and newspaper with it.  It was published in the Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter on September 12th 1966 on page 8.  I don't know where Robert belongs in our family tree, if indeed he belongs there at all.  It may just have been clipped because they were a friend of the family (or parishioner) and the loss of a little baby touched them.

Tombstone Tuesday - Milton Turnbach

Time to get some more information that I've got lying around and attach it to someone in my tree. I look forward to having more time to do this when we get settled into our new home, but we're genealogists.  We do what we can, when we can, and I've got a little time right now as babysit my great niece and she naps peacefully in the next room.

Milton Turnbach was born in 1899.  He was the oldest of 8 known children born to Abraham and Mary Turnbach nee Blanchfield:  Milton, William, Robert, Mary, 2 unknown (either died young or were stillborn), Elizabeth, and Anna.

I don't know if Milton married or had children, but with a death date from the Social Security Death Index I can grab his obituary when I get back to Pennsylvania.  Oh how essential that database is to genealogists!

Milton was my first cousin twice removed and he died on November 23, 1988.  He is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery, Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania.  Rest in peace, Milton.

Military Monday - Central Texas Casualties 2006, 2010, 2011

Just after Memorial Day this year, in the midst of the movers coming and packing our stuff up and the kids' various end of school celebrations, I took some time to visit the newest monument to those that made the ultimate sacrifice.  This monument combined 2006, 2010, and 2011.  My final genealogical act from Central Texas.

Roll Call

2010

SPC Christian M Adams

SPC David A Croft Jr

SGT Shawn D Fannin

PFC David D Finch

CPT Jason E Holbrook

PFC David R Jones Jr

PFC Alexis V Maldonado

PFC Diego M Montoya

SPC Donald S Morrison

SGT Mark A Simpson

PFC Barbara Vieyra

2011

SSG Estevan Altamirano

SGT Michael P Bartley

SSG Nicholas P Bellard

CPT Shawn P T Charles

PFC Adam E Dobereiner

PFC Matthew J England

SPC Robert M Friese

SPC Matthew R Gallagher

SSG Christian A S Garcia

CPL Frank R Gross

SSG Quadi S Hudgins

SPC Dylan J Johnson

SPC Kurt W Kern

SGT Noah M Korte

SGT Martin J LaMar

SGT John A Lyons

SGT Mecolus C McDaniel

CPT Matthew G Nielson

SSG Russell J Proctor

SGT Paul A Rivera

SSG Jorge A Scatliffe

SGT Glenn M Sewell

PFC Steven F Shapiro

PFC Antonio D Stiggins

SGT Steven L Talamantez

SGT Robert G Tenney Jr

CWO Christopher R Thibodeau

CPT David E Van Camp

1LT Omar J Vazquez

PFC Justin M Whitmire

SGT Vorasack T Xaysana

2006

SGT Ahmed K Altaie

May our Soldiers come home soon.

Wordless Wednesday - The Kuehl Sisters

Lorraine, Helen, Dolores and Alice Kuehl

My mother-in-law (Dolores) and her sisters.  Rest in peace, Aunt Lorraine.

Tombstone Tuesday - Mary Dart

The other week I posted the tombstone for John B. Dart (Jean Baptiste) and it was one of those, Oh-my-goodness-you-mean-I-had-that-tombstone-all-along moments.  This would be the other half to that pair.  Mary Dart was John's wife (their marriage date is still unknown).  Mary and John were my husband's 3rd great grandparents.

John and Mary had six known children:  Jean Baptiste Jr, Marie (Mary), Jules, Eugene, Antoinette, and Desira (Desire).

I'm still slowly chipping away at the Dart-line. Always feels good to make some progress, no matter how small. Until next time, have fun tending your roots!

"In memory of Mary J. Dart
Died May 3, 1902
Aged 92 years"

Alive and Well and in Colorado Springs

Garden of the Gods with Pike's Peak in the background

It was quite the one day trip, but on Friday evening we made it to Colorado Springs!  The allergens here are kicking my butt and I'm exhausted, but happy that we made it in one piece.  I've been holding off on posting because the account to my bank was hacked and I assumed that my computer was where the problem stemmed from.  It's a Mac so this doesn't normally happen...and it didn't.  As it turns out, my computer is clean.  It hasn't been compromised, which means that it was most likely my bank that was compromised, since the thief had my user name, password, pin, email, etc.

I now feel safe enough on my computer to begin posting again.  At least a little before leaving Colorado Springs on Tuesday or Wednesday morning to drive to Iowa to see my beautiful sister (one of my beautiful sisters) and then finish up in Green Bay, Wisconsin for the family reunion.  For now, just this quick post before heading out to look at land and model homes.  Perhaps hit some open houses if we can find any.  Hopefully, there'll be a proper genealogy post this evening!