Laura Elizabeth Steinke Meyer
Born: August 16, 1888
Died: October 31, 1977
Age 89 years, 2 months, 16 days
Laura Elizabeth Steinke, from Burkettsville. married Frank Henry
Meyer on February 8, 1910. Frank was a farmer all his life, and
financially went through many hard times, but with the depression, they really
didn’t know anyone that were much better off than they were. With hard work,
ingenuity, and maybe a little imagination, the family enjoyed the fruits of
their labor.
Sitting: Frank, Frances (Henry) Wenning, Joann (Alvin) Bensman, Laura.
Standing: Marie (Irwin) Lochtefeld, Rita (Bob) Buschur,
Paul (Georgia) Meyer, Norma (Alton) Barga, Hilda (Julius) Nerderman.
Frank and Laura had ten children. Three of the
children preceded Frank and Laura in death; Norine (6 weeks), Nick (18) and
Ralph (6), all died within an 18 month span around 1929. That must have been
the worst year for them.
Frank became ill in May of 1948 with stomach cancer. Refusing to go to the hospital, he was cared for at home by his family (even learning how to give pain shots). He went through much suffering and passed away on August 29, 1948 at the age of 61. He was buried at the St. Louis Church Cemetery, close to his three children, near North Star, Ohio. Laura died twenty-nine years later at the age of 89 and was buried beside him. Frank and Laura had ten children, Nick, Hilda (Julius Nerderman, New Bremen), Marie (Irwin Lochtefeld, Cassella), Norma (Alton Barga, Russia), Frances (Henry Wenning, Centerville), Paul (Georgia, Dallas, Texas), Ralph, Rita (Bob Buschur, North Star), Norine and Joann (Alvin Bensman, North Star).
Frank farmed all his life and Laura did her share of helping on the land. After Frank died in 1948, Laura moved into North Star by having a house moved there. She started to do more cooking at wedding receptions and had quite a good reputation. In 1960, at the age of 72, she was offered a job as head cook at the new North Star Elementary School which was just across the street from her house. She worked there until she retired in 1968 at 80 years old. Later she moved in with her youngest daughter, Joann, and her family.
Frank became ill in May of 1948 with stomach cancer. Refusing to go to the hospital, he was cared for at home by his family (even learning how to give pain shots). He went through much suffering and passed away on August 29, 1948 at the age of 61. He was buried at the St. Louis Church Cemetery, close to his three children, near North Star, Ohio. Laura died twenty-nine years later at the age of 89 and was buried beside him. Frank and Laura had ten children, Nick, Hilda (Julius Nerderman, New Bremen), Marie (Irwin Lochtefeld, Cassella), Norma (Alton Barga, Russia), Frances (Henry Wenning, Centerville), Paul (Georgia, Dallas, Texas), Ralph, Rita (Bob Buschur, North Star), Norine and Joann (Alvin Bensman, North Star).
Frank farmed all his life and Laura did her share of helping on the land. After Frank died in 1948, Laura moved into North Star by having a house moved there. She started to do more cooking at wedding receptions and had quite a good reputation. In 1960, at the age of 72, she was offered a job as head cook at the new North Star Elementary School which was just across the street from her house. She worked there until she retired in 1968 at 80 years old. Later she moved in with her youngest daughter, Joann, and her family.
Laura was the kind of person who always had to do
something. When she lived by herself, she always took care of her own vegetable
garden and flower beds. One spring, a couple of her grandchildren counted the
different colors of tulips which bloomed around her house. She had over
25. Also in her leisure, she made rag rugs, by tearing old clothes into
1½ inch strips and braiding them together with a hook. After moving in with her
daughter, she replaced that hobby with crocheting and card parties. She made
more than a dozen afghans for her children and grandchildren while enjoying one
or two weekly senior citizen card parties a week. It seemed like her name was
always in the newspapers for being a weekly winner. First prize would get
$2.00.
One of my favorite memories that I have of Grandma
Meyer was when she told us an incident that happened when she was the head cook
at the North Star Elementary School.
During one winter day Grandma was tired so she decided to take a nap and when she woke up, she was so surprised to see the time was 6:45 in the morning. It was the first time she had ever been running behind schedule, but fortunately she still had on her clothes so she quickly ate some breakfast and headed off to work.
Since potatoes were on the lunch menu that particular day, Grandma started washing, peeling and cutting potatoes. After about 45 minutes of working, Grandma realized that the other cook, Loretta Ray was not there yet so she went to the back door to see if the weather was getting bad and that perhaps school was canceled without her knowing it. Well, to Grandma's surprise, it was still dark, really dark. Not even a glimpse of sun light. "What in the world", she thought to herself. And then, it "dawned" onto her. She didn't get up at 6:45 in the morning, she got up at 6:45 in the evening after taking her short nap and at that point it was time for her to go back to bed again.
~ Russ Bensman, son of Alvin
& Joann Meyer Bensman
During one winter day Grandma was tired so she decided to take a nap and when she woke up, she was so surprised to see the time was 6:45 in the morning. It was the first time she had ever been running behind schedule, but fortunately she still had on her clothes so she quickly ate some breakfast and headed off to work.
Since potatoes were on the lunch menu that particular day, Grandma started washing, peeling and cutting potatoes. After about 45 minutes of working, Grandma realized that the other cook, Loretta Ray was not there yet so she went to the back door to see if the weather was getting bad and that perhaps school was canceled without her knowing it. Well, to Grandma's surprise, it was still dark, really dark. Not even a glimpse of sun light. "What in the world", she thought to herself. And then, it "dawned" onto her. She didn't get up at 6:45 in the morning, she got up at 6:45 in the evening after taking her short nap and at that point it was time for her to go back to bed again.
~ Rebecca Bensman, daughter of Alvin & Joann Meyer Bensman
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