Obit: Fitzlaff, Wilhlemine (Benzmann) (1864 – 1948)

Contact: Linda Mertens
Email: mertens@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Fitzlaff, Sprengler, Fenske, Hoffman, Yanke, Beisner, Hennlich, Skoog, Paul, Benzmann, Bremer, Woempner, King, Johnson, Kalkofen, Diemel, Hoeft

----Source - Anna Johnson's Scrapbook

Wilhelmine Fitzlaff (26 Aug 1864 – 22 Apr 1948)

Funeral services were held from St. Peter’s Lutheran church here (Dorchester, Clark Co., WI) April 25 for Mrs. Frank Fitzlaff, 83, who died of a heart ailment at the Medford hospital last Thursday. The 2:30 p.m. church service was preceded by a brief ceremony at the Fitzlaff home at 2 p.m. The Rev. F. H. Sprengler officiated at the rites, and burial was in Dorchester Memorial cemetery. Fuchsgruber Funeral Service had charge of arrangements.

Pallbearers were Arthur H. Baehr, Albert Fenske, Max Hoffman, Gust Yanke, Fred Beisner, and Joe Hennlich. Mrs. Joel Skoog, Prentice, and Mrs. Wilmer Paul, Curtiss, were flower girls.

Wilhlemine Benzmann was born in Pomerania, Germany, Aug. 26, 1864, and lived there until immigrating to this country with her parents in June of 1884. The family settled on a farm two miles south of the village where she lived until her marriage to Frank Fitzlaff on March 27, 1887, when the couple moved to the farm one and a half miles southwest of the village, where they lived until he died June 27, 1939, and she continued to reside with her sons Herman and Otto.
She had been active, until recent years, in church affairs, and was one of two surviving charter members of St. Peter’s Ladies Aid.

Survivors include three sons, Herman Fitzlaff and Otto Fitzlaff, on the home farm, and Emil Fitzlaff, Chicago, Ill.; a granddaughter, Rose Fitzlaff, Chicago; two brothers, William Benzmann, Dorchester, and Paul Benzmann, Milan. Two daughters preceded their mother in death, as did two sisters, Mathilda Benzmann, in 1914, and Mrs. Paulina Bremer, in 1944.

Relatives from out of town who attended the funeral services included Mr. and Mrs. Paul Benzmann, Milan; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Woempner, Abbotsford; Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer Paul, Curtiss; Mr. and Mrs. Joel Skoog and son, Prentice; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence King, Mrs. Ray Johnson and children, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kalkofen and son Leonard, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bremer, George Bremer, and Arthur Bremer, all of Summit Lake, and Mr. and Mrs. Emil Fitzlaff, and daughter Rose, Chicago. Miss Clarabelle Diemel, Summit Lake, and Miss Elsie Hoeft, Abbotsford, were among the many friends who attended.