The Frazee Press — Feb. 28, 1935
Pneumonia Takes Adolph Wokasch
Wife, Aged 77, and Seven Grown Children Left to Mourn Frazee Man’s Passing
Another of the good old timers answered the final summons last week when on Sunday morning, February 17th, at half past five, Adolph Wokasch passed away–a victim of pneumonia.
Mr. Wokasch had enjoyed robust health all his life and possibly had he been stricken with a less virulent form of the disease, his strong constitution and heart would have withstood the attack in spite of his advanced age of nearly 83. He was taken sick very suddenly, on February 9th, after he had returned in the afternoon from a trip down town. He first complained of having chills and in a short time collapsed completely and was put to bed where it soon became evident that he was suffering from pneumonia. During the course of his illness, he at one time seemed to rally encouragingly and hope for his recovery was held out, but soon he again took a turn for the worse and neither loving hands nor medical skill were able to prolong his earthly sojourn. He died, as above stated, early the morning of the 17th, leaving his good wife and help-mate of these many years to walk alone through the last few twilight miles of life. However, his spirit will ever be with her and the faith they together shared will help to lighten her loneliness and sense of loss.
Adolph Wokasch was born in Austria May the 4th, 1852, and came to this country around 1881. He settled first in Brown County, Minnesota, at New Ulm, and a couple of years later was married there to Miss Frances Hull. New Ulm remained their home until 1900 when they moved to a farm in Evergreen township, near here. In 1911 they moved into town, living first in a house across the river and since 1930 in the house up past the Catholic Church, formerly occupied by George Stiles. Mr. Wokasch’s life was largely occupied with farming although he workd for some years in the saw mill here for the Nichols-Chisolm Lumber Company.
The marriage union of Mr. and Mrs. Wokasch was blessed with the birth of nine children–one daughter and eight sons. One of their boys died in infancy and another son, Frank, passed away in 1916. The remaining children are Tony, who is at home, Anne (Mrs. George Conklin) of Oakes, North Dakota, Adolph of Chicago, Wenzel of West Allis, Wis., William of Minneapolis, Ben of North St. Paul, and Edward of Evergreen.
All of the children were home for the funeral and said it seems that this family gathering–the first real reunion they had had in fifteen years–had to be o’ershadowed by their father’s death. All of the children had been home at various times, but never all together, and it was the first time in sixteen years that Bill and his sister Anne had met.
The deceased Mr. Wokasch was a devout attendant at the church of his faith, attending services not only on Sunday but daily mass without fail. His familiar figure will be missed from the pew where he so frequently sat or knelt in prayer but his presence will not be forgotten by the family and many friends who held him dear.
The requiem high mass was held Tuesday morning of last week at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with Rv. Fr. A. J. Junghans, as celebrant, and burial was made in the Sacred Heart cemetery. John Ulschmid, Sr., Tony Berger, Sr., John Gotschy, Robert Byer, Frank Peichel and John Boltz served as pallbearers for their old friend.
To his widow and the children who survive we wish at this time to extend our heartfelt sympathy and we know that our words of condolence to them find a ready echo throughout the community as a whole. We might add that the deceased also leaves one brother, Franz Wokasch of Evergreen, who is the last surviving member of that branch of the Wokasch family.