Christine Gertraude Walz - Part 10

           

On September 24, 1917, Christine was released as Relief Society president due to illness. Then, in the early part of January 1920, Christine became very ill. She had a high temperature, pain, red splotches, and finally broke out in lesions like boils. Her granddaughter Berneice Steiner Heinz remembers seeing her face and head tied up in bandages. Christine called for her nephew, Conrad, to come and administer to her. When he came, she asked him to pray for her to be "called home" as she was so ill she didn't think she could stand it much longer. He did as she requested and she died shortly afterward. She was 60.

            The entry in the Klingler Bible written by her bereaved husband reads: 

"The 17 January 1920 died my beloved wife, Christine Klingler in Rexburg. Sickness was erysipelas.

Buried the 19 January."

            Erysipelas is little known today. It is caused by a specific streptococcus bacterium and can be cured with modem-day antibiotics. Christine's death certificate states the main cause of death was a perforated gastric ulcer with erysipelas as the secondary cause.

            No formal funeral homes or mortuaries existed in Rexburg at this time. Those who prepared bodies for burial just came to the homes of those who needed them. After the preparations and dressing of the body were completed, the deceased person was placed in the casket. The casket was then placed on chairs in the center of the parlor. Someone other than a family member was usually assigned to sit up with the body at night. Before the church service for Christine, the family knelt around the casket for prayer.

Recorded in the Rexburg Third Ward Record Book A: "January 18, 1920 -

Bishop R. H. Smith gave out notice of the funeral of Christine Walz Klingler, to be held in the meeting house January 19, 1920".

"Minutes of the service held over the remains of Christine Walz Buchmiller Klingler, in the Rexburg Third Ward meeting house,

January 19, 1920. Bishop Richard H. Smith, presided."

Singing #219 "Sister Thou Wast Mild and Lovely."

Prayer was offered by George B. Wynn.

Singing #223 "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere."

Elder Peter Andregg was the first speaker. He spoke in German.

Elder Hyrum Ricks, Sr. spoke in English and read, "My Mother," after which he prayed.

Elder Horace W. Mason rendered a solo, #166, "What Voice; Salutes The Startled Ear."

He was followed by an address by William A. Smith.

Bishop Richard H. Smith then made a few remarks.

Meeting closed by singing #31, "Rest, Rest for the Weary Soul."

Prayer was by Elder John Austin Walz.

THE REXBURG JOURNAL, Friday, January 23, 1920, page 1

Mrs. Klingler Laid to' Rest

"Mrs. Christine G. Klingler, wife of Frederick (Friedrich) Klingler, died last Saturday of erysipelas of the stomach. She was 60 years of age.  

Funeral services were held at the Third Ward Meeting House, Monday.  The speakerswere Judge Hyrum Ricks, Peter Andregg, Prof. W. A. Smith, and Bishop R. H. Smith. Mrs. Klingler was one of the early settlers of this city and was a woman of excellent qualities. When the Third Ward was organized she was chosen president of the Relief Society, which position she held ten years. She was formerly married to Mr. Buckmiller (Karl Buchmiller) by whom she had children. Mr. Klingler also had children by a former wife, and still other children were born to the two. So these two good people have reared a large and honorable family together.  Mrs. Klingler was greatly beloved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed in the family circle. There was a very large attendance at the funeral service. John Phillips had charge of the interment".

            Christine Gertraude Walz Buchmiller Klingler was buried by the side of her first husband, Karl Heinrich Buchmiller, in Lot 12, Block 5, of the Rexburg City Cemetery.  Friedrich Ludwig Klingler had a four-foot high stone marker place on her gravesite. The monument inscription read, "Beloved Wife, Christine Gertrude Walz Klingler 1859 - 1920".  In the 1960s, her son, John H. Buchmiller, removed the first marker and installed a new one.  The new marker honored both his father and mother. Karl's grave had been unmarked until this time.

            Friedrich Ludwig Klingler died August 2, 1927, and is buried by the side of their baby son, Frank Jacob, in Lot 28, Block 3, of the Rexburg Cemetery. Christine's daughter Emma and three of her sons, John, Karl, and Alma, are also buried in the same cemetery.

            Christina Magdalena Walz followed her sister in death the next year on March 4, 1921, and is buried in Lot 31, Block 3, of the Rexburg Cemetery. Their brother, Johannes Heinrich Walz, died at Blanchard Township, Perth, Ontario, Canada, July 1, 1917.

There is a digital copy of the book that I took these written histories from.  It is entitled Christine Gertraude Walz Buchmiller Klingler.  It was compiled by Carol Dee Stoker Buchmiller and Golden Atkin Buchmiller.  

It can be found at the following url:

https://dcms.lds.org/view/action/ieViewer.dodps_pid=IE76112&dps_dvs=1371578726497~921&dps_pid=IE76112&change_lng=en

The book is a marvelous collection of family history and has lots more information, pictures and histories.  Be sure and look it up.