Representative William F. Oehmke View All Years

HONORABLE W. F. OEHMKE

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare suitable resolutions commemorating the life, character and public service of the Honorable W. F. Oehmke, member of the Forty-sixth General Assembly of Iowa, begs leave to submit the following:

W. F. Oehmke was born in Champaign, Illinois on January 8, 1872. He died March 21, 1937. He was preceded in death by his wife.

Mr. Oehmke received his education in the public schools of Illinois. He came to Iowa in 1893, and he was married to Miss Anna Boll, of Pomeroy, Iowa, in December, 1897. To this marriage were born six children, all remaining to mourn the departure of a faithful and loving father. They are: Mrs. Hulda (Malcolm) Rabey, of Logan, Ia.; Mrs. Frieda (Howard) Stevens, of Garden City, Mo.; Mrs. Esther (Adolph) Anderson, of Sioux Falls, S. Dak.; Mrs. Louise (Claude) Protextor, of Little Rock, Ia.; Fred Oehmke, in the naval service of his country and stationed at Coronado, Calif.; and William Oehmke, of Chicago.

Mr. Oehmke was a citizen whose first thought was for others. Unselfish in his devotion to family and friends, he counted his friends by the hundreds. He was a farmer until 1903, when he moved to Larchwood to give his children the benefits of the educational facilities of that town. In Larchwood he served as assessor; and was postmaster for two years. Mr. Oehmke served the public in many ways: namely, as a member of the county board of supervisors, as secretary of the Larchwood school district for many years, and as town councilman.

In 1934 he accepted the call of his party as a candidate for State Representative. He was elected and served in that capacity during the Forty-sixth regular and special sessions of the General Assembly. He rendered a full measure of service to his county and state in this position.

Mr. Oehmke was a member of the Evangelical church of North America, but had affiliated himself with the Community Church of Larchwood and was active in its affairs. He was a member of Larch lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Larchwood. Few were the calls of charity or fraternalism that passed unheeded by him.

Mr. Oehmke served his community and state well and Iowa has lost a most valuable citizen, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Forty-seventh Assembly, That in the passing of the Honorable W. F. Oehmke the state has lost a valuable citizen, a man of character and generosity.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

J. T. DYKHOUSE,

LAMAR FOSTER,

W. J. JOHANNES,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted, April 19, 1937.