Clara Augusta Elmer, the second child in the family of eight children of Herman and Wilhelmina A. (Kringel) Jaenisch was born at Dressen, Germany, on August 11, 1980. The following year she came with her parents and older brother, Paul, to America, accompanied by her aunt and uncle. The family spent three years at New Ulm and seven at Fairfax, before moving on to Clara City and then in 1900 to Johnson, Minnesota. However, while the family was still at Fairfax, Clara began working at the home of a pastor's family, later working at Cottonwood and then at Marshall where as a teenage girl, she was a cook at a Marshall hotel. On January 13, 1899, she was united in marriage to E.P. Elmer at Cottonwood. They operated the farm by the lake, a mile east of Cottonwood, where Clara has since resided. They observed their golden wedding there in 1949. There were eight children, three went on before their mother: Edna Mae in 1904, Dorothy Elizabeth in 1916 and Gladys (Mrs. Chester Bishop) in August of 1962. For 22 years Clara bottled all the milk the family delivered to the Cottonwood community. She was active in the Presbyterian Church and community affairs until she was restricted to her home due to her visual handicap. In spite of this handicap, she spent hours in her garden and flower beds. E.P. passed away on July 24, 1958, and Clara continued to live on the farm, where she was aided by her son, Alfred. She passed away in her sleep on November 1, 1963, at the Clarkfield Community Hospital, at the age of 83 years. She had spent the last five months of her life at the hospital. Survivors include daughters, Ella Harrington of Denver, Colorado, and Mildred Jurgenson of Clarkfield; three sons: Alfred of Cottonwood, Ervin of Granite Falls and Clarence of Evansville; three sons-in-law: Ed Harrington, Chester Bishop and Erling Jurgenson. She leaves nine grandchildren to mourn her loss, as well as 14 great grandchildren; two daughters-in-law, four brothers and sisters: Mrs. Anna Freyman of Long Beach, California, Mrs. Lilly Smithwick and Mrs. Bertha Ketman of Morris, Minnesota, and Ed of California. IN MEMORY OF MRS. CLARA ELMER August 11, 1880 ~ November 1, 1963 Funeral Services Sunday, November 3, 1963, 3:00 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, Cottonwood, Minnesota Clergy Officiating, Rev. Paul Firecloud Organist, Mrs. John Lines Vocal Solo, Stan Jurgenson "In the Garden" "The Old Rugged Cross" Casket Bearers Alfred Elmer ~ Ed Harrington Clarence Elmer ~ Chester Bishop Ervin Elmer ~ Erling Jurgenson Final Resting Place Cottonwood City Cemetery Cottonwood, Minnesota Arrangements by Lynner Funeral Home Since 1891 Clarkfield, Minnesota