Allamakee Biographies -Nursing Home Resident bios

"Resident of the Month"
Interviews featuring residents at the Postville Good Samaritan home.

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Transcribed by S. Ferrall for Allamakee co. IAGenWeb
Any notes following the biographies were added by S. Ferrall.

Emma Josephine Larson is the July resident of the month at the Good Samaritan Center in Postville. "Josie" was born September 28, 1888 in Fayette County, the daughter of Gunder and Birgit (Kittleson) Gunderson. There were five brothers and four sisters.

She was baptized and confirmed at the East Clermont Lutheran Church and attended the country school in Clermont township, Fayette county.

On October 23, 1913 she was married to Oscar R. Larson and they moved to Sandstone, Minnesota, living there for a year, then returned to Iowa where they engaged in farming in the Clermont and Oelwein vicinity. Later they lived in Oelwein, then moved to West Union.

Her family consisted of three children, two sons, Harvey, Bernell and a daughter, Mrs. Howard (Mildred) Mork. Her husband died February 8, 1974. Both sons are deceased.

She has 13 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. She at present is a member of the Zion Lutheran Church, West Union.

Josie loved gardening and enjoyed raising lovely flowers. She also enjoyed doing all kinds of fancy work. Now she enjoys all the activites at the Center.

~Postville Herald, Wednesday, July 2, 1975 (column: Resident of the Month, Good Samaritan Center, Postville, Iowa)

~Emma Larson obituary

The November spotlight focuses on Gus Lenth as the resident of the month at the Good Samaritan Center.

Gus was born March 23, 1892, the third child in a family of 11 children born to John P. and Dorothea (Harnack) Lenth. His brothers and sisters live in Monona with the exception of Louis of Postville and Wilbert, now deceased. They are: Herbert, Ernest, Elmer, John, Ella Jarms, Hilda Miller, Esther Palas and Nora Haberichter.

Gus received his education in the Evergreen Grove rural school near their home south of Luana in Monona township. He also attended two years of German Confirmation schooll in Luana, being taught to read and write German along with their study of the Lutheran religion.

One fall, Gus recalls, he and two of his friends spent several weeks helping with a threshing crew near the Winipeg, Canada area.

When Gus finished his schooling, his father rented another farm from his mother's parents and Gus and brother Wilbert operated this for two years, with the help of his brothers and sisters. They enjoyed visiting and having Gus do the cooking for them. Pancakes were his speciality.

On February 18, 1914, Gus married Anna Martins at Luana, and they then purchased the farm. Their family consists of Harvey (deceased), Harold of Farmersburg; Lloyd of Elkader and Bernita Landgrebe of Miller, South Dakota. There are 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

For many years Gus served as director of the Farmers' Commission Co. at Farmersburg, was director of the Gooding School in Wagner township, of the Lutheran Church Council at Farmersburg, director of the Luana Ceamery, director of the Garnavillo Mutual Ins. Co. and served on many other committees and boards.

He and Mrs. Lenth retired to Farmerburg in 1943 and Gus found himself as busy as ever. He worked at the Palas Implement for ten years, helped out at local restaurants and on his son's farms.

He entered the Good Samaritan Center in April of 1972, enjoys playing cards, Bingo and most of the other activities.

~Postville Herald, Wednesday, November 6, 1974 (column: Resident of the Month, Good Samaritan Center, Postville, Iowa)

~Gus Lenth's obituary
~Anna Martins' obituary

Martha Lestina, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Schroeder, was born September 24, 1885 in Giard Township, Clayton County, on a farm near Monona. She attended the country school near the farm home.

Martha was married to Frank Lestina in 1903. The couple had three children. They are Walter Lestina of Ossian, Mrs. Allice Kottman and Mrs. Hazel Blumhagen of Monona. There are five grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

In 1968 Mrs. Lestina suffered a fractured hip and became a resident of the Luana Rest Home. She became a resident of the Postville Good Samaritan Center in June of 1969.

~Postville Herald, Wednesday, February 28, 1973 (column: Resident of the Month, Good Samaritan Center, Postville, Iowa)

~Martha Lestina's death notice (I did not find an obituary - there is family info. in Frank's obit)
~Frank Lestina's obituary

We could have no finer lady as resident of the month of November than Marie Leui. Her birthday will be next Sunday the 9th.

Marie was born the third child in a family of nine children. All five of her brothers live close by and visit often: Bernard, Clem, Bertie, Ambrose and Paul. Her sister, Helen Kneeland is at the hospital. Their's was a large and loving family and Marie has many fond memories of life on the farm.

Marie was married to Homer Leui and has been a widow for 40 years. After his death she took care of her parents. She also worked at Luhman and Sanders dry goods store. "Those were good days" she says, "I made many good friends while working there - it was about 20 years."

She has always enjoyed music and was always a "very social person." She and her brother Bernard and a friend Fritz Baltz played for many house dances.

Marie has always taken great pride in being busy. She was an accomplished seamstress. She has made many dresses; even wedding dresses. During later years she did alterations, and she does some sewing even now. She is a great conversationalist, and while listening to her you will soon learn that her family is her greatest love.

~Postville Herald, Wednesday, November 5, 1980 (column: Resident of the Month, Good Samaritan Center, Postville, Iowa)

~Marie's obituary & another photo
~Homer Leui's obituary