Obit: Williams, Mathilda (1883 - 1964)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Williams, Olson, Walkama, Kollath, Rankl

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 27 Aug 1964

Williams, Mathilda (16 AUG 1883 - 21 AUG 1964)

Funeral services for Mrs. Mathilda Williams, 81, of rural Owen (Clark Co., Wis.) were held Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 25 at Peace Evangelical Lutheran church at Dorchester. Burial was in the Curtiss Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery. The Rev. Hugh Evans officiated.

Mrs. Williams died Friday morning, Aug. 21, 1964 at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Williams at Milwaukee.

During the service Mrs. R. Kollath sang "Old Rugged Cross" and "Beyond the Sunset," accompanied by Mrs. Jerome Rankl at the organ. Pallbearers were A.M. Erickson, Carl Sheets, Elmer Voightlander, Art Thieme, Irving Goessl and Allan Hawks.

Mrs. Williams was born Mathilda Olson in Norway on Aug. 16, 1883. In 1901 she came to the United States with her mother, sisters, and brother. She was married to Ben Williams in 1905 at Dorchester, and the couple lived on a farm about five miles northwest of Curtiss from 1906 to 1932, when Mrs. Williams died. Mrs. Williams continued to live on the farm until 1941. From that time until her death, she lived with her children and Owen and Milwaukee. She was a member of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church at Dorchester.

Survivors include six sons, Otto Williams, Buffalo, N.Y., Melvin, Peter and Elmer Williams, Buffalo, N.Y.; one brother, Nels Olson of Milwaukee; 35 grandchildren and 51 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Williams was preceded in death by four brothers, one sister, and four step-children.