Obituaries from Marlene Overton’s family
By WGS Member Marlene Overton
Joe Pauley (Marlene’s maternal grandfather) was born July 21, 1879 on a farm in Lincoln township in Shelby County, the son of Anna and Theodore Pauley. He departed this life on March 12, 1965 at the Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan at the age of 85 years, 7 months and 21 days.
On February 24, 1903 he was united in marriage to Gusta Sohl and to this union five children were born. Mr. and Mrs. Pauley were able to observe their 62nd wedding anniversary this last February.
They farmed near Harlan until the spring of 1930, when they moved into Harlan. They made their home there until January of 1962, when they became residents of the Avoca Nursing Home in Avoca, because of failing health.
Mr. Pauley was preceded in death by his parents, 7 brothers – Service, Hobert, Peter, A. C., Herman, John, Nick and 3 sisters – Mary Russell, Lena Leslie and Maggie Headlee.
He is survived by his wife Gusta at Avoca; 3 daughters: Josephine, Mrs. August Fennern of Garrison; Irene, Mrs. Glen Hansen and Helen, Mrs. Lyle Warner, both of Harlan and by 2 sons: William of Lawn Dale, Calif. and Peter C. of Fremont, Nebraska.
He is also survived by 12 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, 2 brothers, Matt of Tennant and William of Earling; 1 sister, Mrs. Katie King in Texas, many nieces and nephews and many other relatives and a host of friends.
Funeral services were held Monday, March 15, 1965 at 1:30 p.m. at the Pauley Home for Funerals in Harlan with Rev. L. B. Hawes, pastor of the Shelby Methodist Church officiating. Interment was in the Harlan Cemetery. (The Journal-Herald, Thursday, March 18, 1965, p. 1)
Anna Hansen (Marlene’s great-grandmother) died at the home of W. F. Bauer, at Harlan, at 5:45 p.m. Monday, February 6, 1928. She came to America with her parents in 1857 from Germany and landed at Durant, Iowa. Later in 1883 came to Shelby County, Iowa.
She was married to John Sahl [Sohl] in 1884 and one daughter was born to them, now Mrs. Joe Pauley. She leaves to mourn, four brothers and two sisters, John M. and Peter H. of Harlan and Ernest of Avoca, and Julius M. Hansen of Mitchell, South Dakota; Mrs. Wm. Reyelt and Mrs. W. F. Bauer of Harlan. Two sisters preceded her in death.
She has five grandchildren and one great grandchild.
For the last 23 years she has made her home mostly with Mrs. Bauer and Mrs. Reyelt and other relatives. She first took sick the 14th day of February 1923 and has been an invalid since that time. For the last six weeks she has been bedfast.
She was born April 4, 1850 in Germany. She died at the age of 77 years, 10 months and 2 days.
Funeral services were held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Bauer at Harlan, Wednesday afternoon, with burial in the Avoca cemetery. Rev. Walter F. Kicker of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Walnut officiated. (The Walnut Bureau, Thursday, February 16, 1928, p. 1)