- On Thursday morning at 3:15 o'clock, Mrs. Anna Koffarnus passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Brandes, where she has made her home for the past few years. She was in her usual good health until about two months ago when she began to have trouble with her foot. Everything that medical skill and kind loving care could do was done for her. Her sons and daughters were constantly in attendance but gangrene set in and at times she suffered intense pains until she passed away on Thursday morning.
Anna Delipat was born on April 20th, 1849 at Hanover, Germany. At the age of five she came to America with her parents and made her home in Milwaukee where she grew to womanhood. In 1866 she was married to Frank Koffarnus of Milwaukee and after a year they moved to Calumet county and located on their homestead, now owned by their grandson, Oscar Behnke. The homestead was not the cleared and improved farm it is today; but a home in the wilderness. Here the young couple working side by side, cleared the land and built their house and other buildings.
Fourteen children blessed their union, twelve of whom are still living, one girl, Emma having passed away at the age of fifteen years and another little girl, Ida, at nine months. The children who survived are four daughters, Mrs. Wm. Brandes of Hilbert, Mrs. Herman Behnke of Chilton Town, Mrs. Ed Pagel of Black Creek, Mrs. Albert Hillman of Rantoul and eight sons, Henry and George of Chilton town, Jos. and John of Welcome, Minn., William of Rippling, Minn., Charles of Sheboygan, Frank of Appleton and Fred, who is a patient at St. Elizabeth's hospital. There are 58 grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren, who mourn the loss of their grandmother.
Mrs. Koffarnus was a woman of sterling qualities, a true helpmate to her husband and a fond and loving mother, who devoted her life to her family. She and her faithful husband were among the sturdy pioneers of Calumet county. They were members of a class of grand Americans, who are fast becoming extinct. In a few years they will be only people of history. We have often heard Mrs. Koffarnus tell of her trips to Hilbert over pioneer day roads and the pioneer mode of travel. Youth of today should bow their heads in deepest respect for these elderly people, who have made our lives so comfortable by their years of labor and self sacrifice.
The funeral will be held on Saturday at the Wm. Brandes home and at the Lutheran Church. The remains will be laid to rest in the Lutheran cemetery of this village. Rev. Herschke officiating.
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Chilton Times - April 24, 1926
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1849 - 1926 (77 years)
Obituary
