Friday, August 22, 2014

Kathy's Gates to the Past : Obituary for William Freukes, Jr.

Kathy's Gates to the Past : Obituary for William Freukes, Jr.: I recently solved a bit of a mystery in my family tree. The mystery involves the whereabouts of William Freukes, Jr. He's the brother of...

Obituary for William Freukes, Jr.

I recently solved a bit of a mystery in my family tree. The mystery involves the whereabouts of William Freukes, Jr. He's the brother of my great-great grandmother, Margaret Freukes Cain. The two siblings--along with their other siblings Peter Freukes and Mary Freukes Siegle--grew up in Dahlgreen, Carver County, Minnesota. William Jr. was married briefly to Mary Ann Ruder--until they divorced. After that, I couldn't figure out where William Jr. went.
The good news is that I just acquired a copy of his obituary, from Pueblo, Colorado.  Actually, there are five versions that appeared in the Chieftain newspaper on five consecutive days. The most interesting obit is the fifth one (see below), which described the funeral service. The service was at the St. Francis Xavier (Catholic) church. The service was a Requiem High Mass, with the children's choir singing. William's niece Bernice Siegle was one of six flower bearers, along with six pallbearers.
Note: A Requiem Mass (Mass of the dead) is offered for the repose of the soul or souls of deceased persons. It is often used in the context of a funeral, but could be applied to other services associated with death and mourning.