Monona County IA Archives Obituaries.....Graetz, Walter Martin September 21, 1956
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Carolyn Jarvey iandaz@cox.net November 8, 2009, 2:33 pm

unknown
Walter Graetz
Is Laid To Rest                                   (From the collection of 
Vivian Norby Andersen)

	The Soldier community was saddened and shocked last Friday morning 
upon learning of the sudden departure of the community’s oldest business man, 
Walter M. Graetz, 76.  Mr. Graetz had been around the store with his son, 
Maurice, Thursday.  That evening he took sick and the doctor was called.  
About 5 :00 o'clock Friday morning he passed away.
	“Walt”, as he was known to his hundreds of friends, came to Soldier in 
1901 and from that time on was a part of the business life of the community, 
seeing the town grow from a few buildings to its present size.  For fifty 
years, lacking but a couple of months, he was in the mercantile business.  He 
and Maurice purchased their own store in 1931 and in 1953 Walt sold his 
interest to his partner.
	Mr. Graetz was a very devoted husband and father, a true family man.  
He was respected highly by all who knew him and through his business 
associations he got to know a lot of people.
	The Soldier community will miss Walt when they visit Graetz Store—for 
he was almost a permanent fixture there.
	The Graetz’s celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in May of 
last year.
	Funeral services sere held at the Soldier Lutheran Church Monday 
afternoon at 2:00 o’clock after a short service at the Oldham Funeral Home.  
Rev. Joel Boone of the Moorhead Christian Church gave the sermon.  Burial was 
in the Spring Valley Cemetery near Moorhead under the direction of Oldham 
Funeral Home.  Pallbearers were Hilman Olson, Art Olson, John Dickinson, Page 
Carlson, Harold Ulven and John Wade.
	Walter M. Graetz, youngest son of a family of eight, children of 
Julius A. and Mary Miller Graetz, was born on May 16, 1880 in Pettisville, 
Ohio and here he grew to manhood.  From early infancy he was a member of the 
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Pettisville, having been baptized and confirmed 
in that faith.  While still a growing lad in school he was employed by the 
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway hanging switch-lanterns; that being 
in the days when kerosene lanterns were used for the purpose.
	Then at the age of 19 he decided to go west.  He spent a few months at 
the home of a sister who at that time resided near Ida Grove, Iowa.  Later he 
went to Castana where he worked as a well-digger and then in the spring of 
1901 he came to Soldier where he clerked in the Norby and Dawson General 
Merchandise store.
	In the year 1905 he was united in marriage with Edith Rouse; to this 
union was born three sons, the oldest passing away in infancy.
	In 1931 he and his son, Maurice, decided to go into the grocery 
business together, from which he was forced to retire in 1953 due to failing 
health, lacking only a couple of months of completing a full 50 years in the 
mercantile business in Soldier.  Since that time, he has spent his time 
visiting with his many former patrons and indulging in his woodworking hobby.
	He passed away on Friday, Sept. 21, 1956 at the age of 76 years, 4 
months and 5 days, leaving to mourn his passing his wife, Edith, and two sons, 
Maurice of Soldier and Ronald of Denison; three grandchildren, many nieces and 
nephews and many friends and acquaintances.  His parents and brothers and 
sisters all passed on before him.


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