Ben and Molly (Gerken) Willenborg

Maria Amelia Margaret Gerken was born on October 17, 1888, at the family homestead east of Dyersville, Iowa, the last of seven children born to William and Elizabeth (Sudmeier) Gerken. Molly's siblings were Addie, John, Frank, Henry, Leo, and Rudy. Their mother Elizabeth died when Molly was but nine days old, and their father William subsequently married Carolina Wuebbelt, and they had six children, Bill, Laura, Oscar, Thecla, Ludwig, and Oliva.

Wedding announcement from the Dyersville Commercial
GERKEN-WILLENBORG NUPTIALS TUESDAY
Miss Amelia Gerken and Mr. Bernard Willenborg Plight Troth in St. Francis Church.
In St. Francis Church of Dyersville, at eight o'clock Tuesday morning, February 7, 1911, occurred the marriage of Miss Amelia Gerken to Mr. Bernard Willenborg. The nuptial ceremony was performed in the sanctuary, preceding a high mass, and was performed by the Rev. Father William Kunkel of Nashua, a cousin of the bride. Miss Laura Gerken, a sister of the bride, was the bridesmaid, and Herman Willenborg, brother of the groom, was the groomsman. The bride's wedding gown was of silk mull, trimmed with insertion and lace. She also wore a veil and carried roses and lilies of the valley. Her maid wore a gown of white lawn.

Both the bride and groom are members of highly respected families of the Dyersville community. The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Gerken, who reside east of Dyersville. She has resided there since childhood and was educated in the local schools. She is a most deserving young lady, highly esteemed for her many excellent qualities and personal worth, and she enters her new state of life with the best wishes of admiring friends. The groom is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Willenborg and is a properous young farmer. He is a young man of ability and energy and had numerous friends. A reception, which was held at the Gerken home, was attended by a large number of guests. At noon a wedding banquet was served. The couple were the recipients of a large number of very valuable and useful gifts. Mr. Willenborg has purchased a farm near New Hampton, where he will take his bride to reside. Congratulations are extended.

Bernard "Ben" B. Willenborg was born on June 4, 1885, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Willenborg at Petersburg, Iowa. After living at New Hampton, the Willenborgs moved to Minnesota where they resided at Lismore and then Adrian (where several of Molly's cousins, children of her uncle Henry Gerken, also resided) before returning to Iowa and living at Independence, Iowa, where Molly at one time was a regent of the Catholic Daughters of America. The family then moved to Dyersville, where they farmed. They were members of St. Francis Xavier Parish there, and Molly was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary at Dyersville and a Gold Star Mother of the Auxiliary. Ben was a member of the Dyersville Knights of Columbus.

Ben and Molly Willenborg had eight children, Elmer Willenborg, Iven Willenborg, Dula Willenborg, Roger Willenborg, Dell Rose Willenborg, Paul Willenborg, Carl Willenborg, and John Willenborg. Paul and John both died as infants.

Mrs. Ben (Molly) Willenborg dies.
Mrs. Ben (Molly) Willenborg, age 91, of Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque, Iowa, died on Friday, March 14, 1980, at Stone Hill Care Center. Family and friends called after 2 p.m., Sunday, March 16, at the Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville, Iowa. Parish wake services were at 8 p.m., Sunday, and the Legion Auxiliary rosary was recited at 4 p.m., Sunday.

Funeral services were at 11 a.m., Monday, March 17, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville, Iowa. Msgr. Wheeler, Msgr. Halbach, and Father Manternach concelebrated the Mass. Pallbearers were Pat and Joe Scherrman, Tom and John Willenborg, and Phil and Russ Weber. Honorary pallbearers representing the Legion Auxiliary were Verna Mae Johannes, Anna Erdmann, Ora Marold, Josephine Steger, Catherine Billmeyer, and Annette Beckman. Honorary pallbearers representing the Independence Catholic Daughters of America were Mary Lake, Margaret Joslin, and Edna Moore. Burial was in St. Francis Cemetery in Dyersville.

Molly Willenborg was survived by her husband, Ben B. Willenborg; one son, Elmer Willenborg of Remsen, Ia.; three daughters, Mrs. Les (Iven) Weber of Dubuque, Ia., Mrs. Bill (Dula) Scherrman of Dyersville, Ia., and Mrs. Walter (Dell Rose) Mangerich of Prescott, Ariz.; 21 grandchildren; and 33 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by four sons, Paul Willenborg, John Willenborg, Roger Willenborg, and Carl Willenborg.

Ben Willenborg dies.
Ben B. Willenborg, 99, of Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque, Iowa, formerly of Dyersville, Iowa, died on Monday, December 3, 1984. Funeral services were held on Thursday, December 6, at the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, and burial was in the church cemetery.

He was survived by one son, Elmer Willenborg, of Remsen, Ia.; three daughters, Mrs. Les (Iven) Weber, of Dubuque, Ia.; Mrs. William (Dula) Scherrman, of Dyersville, Ia.; and Mrs. Dell Rose Mangerich, of Glendale, Ariz.; 22 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

Children of Ben and Molly (Gerken) Willenborg:

Sources include, primarily, an account of the marriage and the obituary for Molly (Gerken) Willenborg from the Dyersville Commercial, the obituary for Ben Willenborg and Les Weber from the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, and A Family Tree of the William Gerken Family, updated by Sister Margaret Gerken in 1986.

© 2000, 2004, 2007 Tom Larson P.O. Box 141 Peosta, IA 52068-0141 http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tdlarson/gerken/william/molly.htm Last revised February 24, 2007.