William SPITZER

   Cause of his death was Ruptured Appendix.

   Another name for William was Wilhelm SPITZER.

  General Notes:

God Parents: Friederick Goebel, Christian Spitzer, Elizabeth Hermann.

Copy Ashley Tribune, June 1920

PROMINENT ASHLEY BUSINESSMAN DIES
Succumbs to Ravages of Appendicitis

Many friends were pained to learn of the death last Wednesday, June 2nd, of Mr. William Spitzer at the Bismarck hospital at Bismarck, where he had gone the preceding Monday with his wife.

Mr. Spitzer seemed apparently well and healthy on Friday of a week ago and Saturday he complained of a pain in his side. A physician was called and it was found that he suffered with appendicitis. Being worse on Monday he was taken to Bismarck where he submitted to an operation at nine o'clock p.m. Following the operation he seemed to be resting easy but on Wednesday the tide turned and kept getting worse, and he died at 10:30 Wwdnesday night, June 2nd, in the presence of his beloved wife and his mother Mrs. Elizabeth Spitzer.

The deceased was born in South Russia on August 21, 1883. In 1889 he came with his parents to America where he grew to sturdy manhood and where he has lived ever since. On the 24th of July, 1906, he was wedded to Miss Pauline Schenk of Utica, S. Dak., and to this union six children were born, one of which died in early infancy. At the time of death the deceased had reached the age of 36 years, 10 months and five days.

The remains were brought from Bismarck last Thursday afternoon and the funeral services were held Sunday afternoon in the open near the Spitzer home, as the Lutheran church, of which he was a member, was too small to hold the crowd of attendants. Rev. Paul Briest officiating. The immense host of friends of the bereaved family gathered at the funeral services, and the casket was literally loaded with floral offerings of friends of the departed, attesting to the esteem and love in which Mr. Spitzer was held by all who knew him. Interment took place in the Lutheran cemetary south of town. There are left to mourn his early departure a grief stricken wife and the following children: Celia, Leo, Viola, Gladys and Irva. Also his mother, Mrs. Elisabeth Spitzer, five brothers, John, Jacob, Christoph, Rudolf and Christian, and two sisters, Mrs. Fred Hindemith and Mrs. Wm Hildenbrand, all of whom live in and around Ashley.

Among the relatives present at the funeral from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Hauck of Lesterville, S. D., Philip Schenk of Utica, S.D., John Schenk of Menno, S.D., Mrs. Weidenbach of Parkston, S.D. and Adolf Schenk of Yankton, S.D.

"The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord."

(On the side of this copy is the handwritten note: Fred Spitzer, Long Lake, S. Dak., was the sixth brother. This was omited by mistake by the Editor of the Ashley Tribune.)

William married Paulina SCHENK, daughter of Heinrich SCHENK and Louisa DIENO, on 23 July 1906 in Ashley, McIntosh Co., North Dakota. (Paulina SCHENK was born on 1 May 1882 in Utica, Yankton Co., South Dakota, died in October 1955 in Menno, Hutchinson Co., South Dakota and was buried in Lutheran Cemetery, Ashley, McIntosh Co., North Dakota.)