Wagers

Ben Westendorf Of Bishop Dies Sunday Morning

Ben Westendorf, 85 year old lifelong Bishop resident, died at 11:35 a.m. Sunday, February 8 at the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Westendorf of Bishop. He had been bedfast for the past three weeks and failing in health for some time.

He was born in Bailey township, October 23, 1874, the son of the late Henry and Anna Althoff Westendorf. He is the last surviving member of the family. His wife who was the former Anna Pruemer, preceded him in death in 1915.

Surviving are sons, Sylvester of Bishop, Bernard of Teutopolis, and a daughter, Mrs. Alf Wernsing of Shumway. Nineteen grandchildren also survive.

Preceding him in death besides his wife was a daughter, Florence who died the same year in 1915. He is also preceded in death by the following brothers and sisters, Mrs. Anton (Minnie) Esker, Mrs. Theodore (Kate) Gruithus, Mrs. Barney (Jane) Hartke, and four brothers, Herman, John, Henry and William.

The body lay in state at the Bauer funeral home in Effingham where the rosary was recited.

Funeral services will be held Thursday at 9:30 a.m. with a requiem mass at St. Aloysius church, Bishop. Rev. Anthony Wagner, O.F.M., pastor, will officiate. Servers will be grandsons, John, Arthur, Kenneth and Donald Westendorf, also Linus Drees.

Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Pallbearers are Leo Westendorf, Cletus Brummer, John Niemerg, Andrew Hartke, Albert Repking, and Sylvester Beckman.

The Teutopolis Press. Thursday, February 12, 1959.
A microfilm copy can be found in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, IL.