MARGARET L. WAGNER , of Encinitas , California , formerly of Freeport , died Friday, September 21, 1990 at the Vista Del Mar Care Center in Vista , Calif. Miss Wagner was associated with the Wagner Office Supply Store on West Main St. in Freeport from 1920 until her retirement from business in 1962. The store was established in 1885 as a bindery by Miss Wagner’s father, who in 1904 expanded the operation to include office supplies. Upon her father’s death in 1934, Miss Wagner assumed management of the store. She moved to California in 1979. She was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a member of Embury United Methodist Church . Born January 29, 1899 in Freeport , she was the daughter of Otto and Mary (Walz) Wagner. Surviving is one nephew, John Wagner of Encinitas , CA . Funeral service will be 1:30 pm Wednesday at the Walker Mortuary with the Reverend Dickson of Embury United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in the Oakland Cemetery.
Contributed by Alice Horner

ALBERT P. WALKER , 77, a retired IL Central engineere, passed away at a local hospital last night, following an illness of several weeks duration. Funeral services will be conducted at the Walker mortuary, West Main street, at 2 p.m. Thursday. Rev. Brainerd N. Covert, pastor of Second Presbyterian church will conduct the services and interment will be in the city cemetery. Mr. Walker was born near Amboy Nov. 16, 1880, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William A. Walker. He came to Freeport in 1891 when he was united in marriage to Catherine Spies, who passed away 3 years ago. For the past several months Mr. Walker resided at the L icondo hotel. He leaves two sisters, Mrs. H. Pannenbacker, Moline, Mrs. William Meyers, Freeport. He had been employed by the IL Central railroad for fifty years, being retired on pension in 1931. He served many years as a locomotive engineer.
Freeport Journal 9 August 1938

LLOYD A. WALTER , 69, a lifelong resident of Stephenson County passed away Tuesday morning (21 January 1941) at a local hospital where he had been taken 10 days ago suffering from a heart attack. He was born near Cedarville May 18, 1871 the son of Joseph and Mary Walter. He was united in marriage to Mary Daughenbaugh on January 2, 1897 in Freeport. The couple had engaged in farming until 1939 when they moved to Freeport to make their home with a daughter Mrs. Harold Schneiderman 416 N. Apple Ave.

His widow, three daughters Mrs. Millard Rafferty, Mrs. Harold Schneiderman and Mrs. Karl Stass; a sister Mrs. Wm. Griffin; a brother Earl Walter; three grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren survive. (Burial was in Oakland Cemetery)

PAUL M. WATZ , 78, 1222 S. State Ave., died Saturday in Freeport Memorial Hospital after a long illness. Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in St. Mary  s Catholic Church, with burial in City Cemetery. Friends may call from after 4 p.m. Monday in Walker Mortuary, with a scripture reading at 8 p.m. There are no immediate survivors. (Submitters note: He was my father's best friend for nearly 50 years and he was a wonderful guy with a droll sense of humor who could fix anything and make you a part for anything for which parts hadn't been made in decades. He was an electrician at Henney's. He died in June 1974. He was born April 27, 1896.)
Contributed by Alice Horner

MARGARET (ALBRIGHT) WEBER , daughter of John and Susan Eby Weber, was born May 21, 1 877, and died on Feb. 12, 1953, in Rockford, Ill. On Nov. 24, 1900, she w as married to Allen Albright who preceded her in death. She is surviv ed by one daughter, two grandchildren, one sister and one brother. Funer al services were conducted by the undersigned in the Long-Klontz funeral h ome, Rockford. Burial was in the Lena cemetery. – Paul B. Haworth, Rockf ord, Ill.
The Brethren Gospel Messenger May 16, 1953 (World Connect Website of Margaret Shipley Hudson)

HONORA (BRENNEN) WEBSTER - Funeral services for Mrs. Honora (Anna) Webster, 92, of 1222 S. State Ave., widow of Daniel Webster, will be held in the Walker Mortuary at 9 a.m. Friday, with a Requiem Mass in St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 9:30 A.M. The Rev. John Ryan will officiate. Internment will be made in City Cemetery. The Rosary will be recited in the mortuary at 8 o’clock tonight. Friends may call at the mortuary.

The former Honora Brennen was born in Monroe, Wis., Jan. 17, 1862, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Brennen. Her marriage to Daniel Webster took place in 1894. Her husband and one son, Alvin, died previously. Surviving is a son, Charles Webster, Freeport.
Contributed by Alice Horner

MEHITABLE (MURRELL) WEBSTER - As stated in our last, we will give a short obituary of Mrs. Webster. Mrs. Mehetable Murrell Webster was born in North Groton N.H. Jan. 27, 1813. She was married to Ebenezer Webster in 1839. She was a woman loved by all. She leaves six children to mourn her loss, David, Wesley, George, Daniel, Mrs. Charles Graves and Mrs.Skeils, besides hosts of friends. The remains were interred in the Winslow cemetery beside the body of her husband, who preceded her to the great beyond twenty-four years ago. Rev. Clay conducted the servies, assisted by Rev. Rilling.
Contributed by Al Morgan / Freeport Daily Journal Wed. March 21, 1894. pg 4

HENRIETTA (REYNOLDS) WESSEL/WESSELL , 82, of 712 W. South St., died this morning at Freeport Memorial Hospital after a long illness. For many years she and her husband operated the Port Rose Gardens on South Street. She was born July 12,1895, in Freeport, the daughter of Charles and Ruth (Kingsbury) Reynolds. She married Roy Wessel Dec. 16, 1915, in Freeport.

Surviving are her husband; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two sons, three sisters and three brothers. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home with the Rev. Orrell Ruth, pastor of First Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. A memorial fund has been established for the First Methodist Church.
Contributed by Larry Reynolds

GERTJE (FRUHDAG) WESSELS , 76, wife of Heye Wessels, passed away Sunday noon at the family home, 1402 South High Avenue, following an extended illness. Mrs. Wessels, formerly Miss Gertje Fruhdag, was born in Silver Creek Township, December 26, 1863, the daughter of Arjen and Etta DeVries Fruhdag. She was united in marriage to Heye Wessels March 6, 1888. She is survived by her husband and the following children: John Wessels, of Ridott; Etta and Jennie, at home; Arjen, of Dakota, Harry, of Freeport, and Angeline, of Racine, Wisconsin. One son, Heye, passed away five years ago. She also leaves five grandchildren and many other relatives. Mrs. Wessels was a faithful and devout member of St. John’s Evangelical and Reformed Church. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 o’clock Wednesday afternoon at the home and at 2 o’clock at St. John’s Church. Rev. Edwin A. Arends will officiate, and burial will take place in Oakland Cemetery.
Contributed by Alice Horner from the April 22, 1940 edition of the Freeport Journal Standard

ROY WESSEL/WESSELL , 85, formerly of Freeport, died Sunday night at Lena Continental manor Nursing Home following a long illness. For may years, he and his wife operated the Port rose Garden on West South St. Born Nov. 12, 1895, in Forreston, he was the son of Frederick and Belle Wessel. He married Henrietta Reynolds Dec. 16, 1915. She died Dec. 14, 1877.

Surviving are three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by two sons, one grandson, one sister and one brother. Service will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home with the Rev. Glenn Wagner, Assistant pastor of Faith United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery. Friends may call from 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home until time of service. A memorial fund has been established.
Contributed by Larry Reynolds

ROY F. WESSEL/WESSELL Jr. , 700 W. South St., a supervisor at Micro Switch, where he was employed for 35 years, died this morning in Freeport Memorial Hospital following a brief illness. Mr. Wessel, a member of St. John United Church of Christ and Administrative Management Society of Rockford, owned the House and Garden Shop on South Street. He was active in Boy Scout work. Born Jan. 13, 1917, in Freeport, he was the son of Roy and Henrietta (Reynolds) Wessel. He married Betty Jane Bush June 20, 1942, in Freeport.

Surviving are his widow; a daughter, Mrs. Dennis (Sandra) Maves of Rockford; two sons, Douglas Alan and Daniel Jay, both at home; two grandchildren; and his parents of Freeport. He was preceded in death by a brother and a son. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Walker Mortuary. The Rev. Philip J. Anstedt, pastor of St. John Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery. Friends may call after 2 p.m. Tuesday at the mortuary. A memorial has been established for the Boy Scout camp fund in care of Dr. Harold Held, Freeport.
Contributed by Larry Reynolds

PAUL W. WHEAT , 94, of 339 N. Foley Ave. Freeport, died Monday at Lena Continental Manor Nursing Home in Lena. (Note: The Social Security Death Index gives the date as April 1982.) For 33 years he was employed by F. A. Read Co. and was a purchasing agent upon retirement in 1967. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Freeport Consistory and Freeport Excelsior Lodge. A veteran of World War I, he was also a member of the American Legion and VFW. Born July 21, 1887 in Freeport, he was the son of J. D. and Georgiana (Edams) Wheat. He married Blanche M. Martin Nov. 3, 1945 in Freeport. She died July 5, 1961. Surviving are nieces and nephews in the Freeport area. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by six brothers and two sisters. Service will be 3 p.m. Thursday at Walker Mortuary with the Rev. Douglas Baer, pastor of First Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the mortuary. A memorial fund has been established for First Presbyterian Church.
Contributed by Alice Horner

MILDRED (NESEMEYER) WIDMER , 85, of 1420 S. Benson Blvd, a former schoolteacher, died Sunday, June 7, 1992 at Freeport Memorial Hospital. She was a graduate of Freeport High School and National College of Education, Evanston. She did graduate work at Rockford College, the University of Illinois, and University of Hawaii. An elementary teacher in rural schools, Pearl City, and Freeport, her first school, where she began teaching in 1924, was moved to the Stephenson County Historical Museum grounds for preservation. She retired in 1975 after 50 years of teaching. Lyall Taubert, former Stephenson County Superintendent of Schools and Principal of Pearl City school when Mrs. Widmer taught there, said she was “one of Stephenson County’s finest schoolteachers…she had a way with children to get their attention and motivate them.” She was the last surviving charter member of Alpha Mu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society for women teachers. Her other memberships were the Illinois and National Education associations, YWCA Business and Professional League and Embury United Methodist Church. Born in Freeport on May 23, 1907, she was a daughter of William and Louetta (Mayer) Nesemeyer. She married Harold W. Widmer on May 21, 1929 in Freeport. He was Illinois State Representative of the 34th District, legislative representative of the Illinois Medical Society and co-owner of Ker-Wid Shoes in Illinois and Wisconsin. He died June 4, 1983. Surviving are a daughter, Sandra Connilu Widmer Fann of Toronto, Canada; a son, Greg K. Widmer of Clearwater, Fla.; six grandchildren; a sister, Dorothy (Mrs. Lloyd Hinders) of Rock Falls; two nieces; five nephews; and special friends Patricia and Robert C. Hendrickson of Freeport. Her brother, Walter L. Nesemeyer of Florence Township died in 1986. Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home. Officiating will be the Rev. William Blomberg and the Rev. Mark Hinders, a nephew of Mrs. Widmer. There will be no visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorial may be directed to the Scholarship Fund of Highland Community College or Dollars for Scholars, a special Freeport High School choral music fund.
Contributed by Alice Horner

ELSIE WILSON , 77, of Rockford and formerly the Rock Grove area, died Mon 9 Jan 1989...Rockford. Born 13 July 19ll in Rock Grove Twp, Stephenson Co...daughter of John O. and Sarah (McCauley) Wilson, 1929 graduate of Freeport HS...employed as a secretary in Freeport before moving to Rockford in 1950...then employed as a legal secretary for North, North & Ohlsen attorneys, retiring in the late 1970s member of St Paul's Lutheran Church Rock Grove. Survivors include a brother, Leslie, Freeport, and nine nieces & nephews preceded in death by four brothers and two sisters. Funeral Wed January 11, 1989 at St Paul's Lutheran Church Rock Grove...burial in the Rock Grove Union Cemetery. Officiating is the Rev Richard Bonner

REUBEN JACKSON WISE , was born in Easton, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, Aug. 31st, 1829, and died at his home here today. He came to Illinois while a young man of about 22 years of age. Shortly afterwards he married Miss Matilda Fink of Rock Run township. He then settled on a farm in Winnebago county in which county he resided until three years ago. He moved to Davis where he remained until his death. He was married twice. His first wife died in 1865 and to this union were born five children, four or whom survive, Uriah Wise of Elgin, Oregon; Zeno Wise of Fairchild, Wis.; Mrs. Mary Carney of Stewart, Ill., and Mrs. Sophia Zies of Emporia, Kansas. On July 15, 1866, he was married to Mrs. Josie Epley, who passed away in October 1911. To this union were born five children, three of whom survive, Frank of Rockford, Misses Emma and Nettie at home. He has been ailing for several years and for the past year has been gradually failing of Bright's disease. He was the last one of a family of nine children, all of whom preceded him to the grave. Funeral arrangements are not fully decided, but will probably be held Monday.
Contributed by Karen Holt

FRED EMIL WITTBECKER , a lifelong resident of Freeport, passed away on Saturday afternoon following an illness which extended over a period of six weeks. Although his health had been failing due to his advanced years, his condition did not become serious until recently. His death was attributed to a complication. Mr. Wittbecker was born in Freeport on July 12 1859 the son of Fredrick and Louise Fricke Wittbecker. He was a tinner by trade.

Those left to survive include his wife, two children, Mrs. Florence Burke of Chicago, Harry Wittbecker of Freeport, two brothers, Gustav of Rockford, Charles of Freeport, two sisters, Mrs. Lydia Mohr and Mrs. Minnie Ackerman both of Freeport.

Funeral services were held at 2 o’clock this afternoon from Wiese and Temple funeral chapel, 214 W. Main Street with the Rev. W.F. Rex officiating. Interment was made in the city cemetery.
Contributed by Billie Jo Read

VIOLA (BOHNHOFF) WOESSNER , 83, of 1001 S. Park Blvd., died Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1992 at Freeport Memorial Hospital following an extended illness. She worked at the Stephenson County Farm Bureau 15 years. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and Concordia Society.

A graduate of Elizabeth High School, she attended Brown’s Business College. Born August 19, 1909 in Elizabeth, she was the daughter of Fred and Helen (Boness) Bohnhoff. She married Orville C. Woessner on March 5, 1945 in Chicago. He died November 29, 1977. Surviving are one son, Richard L. (Dolores) Woessner of Pearl City; two daughters, Peggy and Kay Woessner, both of Burbank, Calif.; and two grandsons, Roy and Paul Woessner, both of Pearl City.

Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday in Walker Mortuary, with the Rev. Dr. Willis Schwichtenberg of Immanuel Lutheran church officiating. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. There will be no visitation. A memorial fund has been established for Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Contributed by Alice Horner

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