Home > United States of America > Nebraska > Saunders County > Valparaiso > Valparaiso Cemetery > Anna Catharina “Katie” Behmerwohld Kopaske

Anna Catharina “Katie” Behmerwohld Kopaske

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Birth	:	15 Aug 1861 Germany
Death	:	28 Aug 1943 Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA
Burial	:	Valparaiso Cemetery, Valparaiso, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.0758018, -96.8471985
Description	:	Katie Kopaske's cremated remains were not initially taken after death and were available at Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who is related. In 2021 a relative received the ashes. Her ashes were place at the Valparaiso Cemetery in Valparaiso, Nebraska where her parents and brother are buried. The ashes of her second husband, Herman Kopaske (1854-1939), are still being held at OSH as of 2021. Her full given name was Anna Catharina Behmerwohld, but she went by Katie. Her name has been found spelled Katy on several documents, but has most often been spelled... Read More	Katie Kopaske's cremated remains were not initially taken after death and were available at Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who is related. In 2021 a relative received the ashes. Her ashes were place at the Valparaiso Cemetery in Valparaiso, Nebraska where her parents and brother are buried. The ashes of her second husband, Herman Kopaske (1854-1939), are still being held at OSH as of 2021. Her full given name was Anna Catharina Behmerwohld, but she went by Katie. Her name has been found spelled Katy on several documents, but has most often been spelled Katie, so that is being used here. She was born in Eddelak, Süderdithmarschen, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany on 8/15/1861 to Catharina Ferrechterricht and Henrich Behmerwohld. Both parents were born in Germany - her mother in 1835 and her father in 1829. They married in 1856. Katie's primary language was German. She had 8 siblings, 7 of whom were alive in 1916. They included: Lena, Maggie, Louise "Lizzie," Harry, Peter, Johanna "Hannah," and Henry. In November 1881 Katie immigrated to the US with her parents and siblings. Initially the family lived in Iowa for 7 years. On 4/30/1883 in Council Bluffs, Iowa she married John Kramer, a German immigrant who was born in May 1855. She was about 21 and he was about 29. It was the first marriage for each of them. They never had children. They became US citizens in 1887. In 1888 her parents and several of her siblings moved to Valparaiso, Nebraska. Eventually her siblings were spread around the world. Sister Lena Brodson stayed in Germany. Sister Maggie Reuther lived in Canada. Sister Louisa "Lizzie" Evers lived in Seattle. Brothers Harry and Peter and sister Johanna "Hannah" Maahs lived in Nebraska while brother Henry lived in Montana. It is possible several of Katie's siblings lost track of one another. Her sister Louisa in Seattle and brother Henry of Montana had no contact with one another from 1904 until 1946. In the 1900 census Katie & John Kramer were living in Council Bluffs, Iowa where John was a baker. During the census of 1910 they were living in Seattle, Washington, working in the bakery shop that John owned in Seattle's Green Lake neighborhood. Her father died in 1913 and her mother died in 1916 - both in Nebraska. Brother Peter died in 1917 and Harry died in 1920. At the time of the 1920 census, Katie & John were still living in Seattle where John continued his career as a baker. On 6/22/1927 John died of heart problems in Seattle at the age of 72. He was cremated. In March 1929 in Salem, Oregon Katie married Herman Charles Kopaske, a farmer. He was born in Germany on 10/5/1862, but after WWI he claimed to have been born in Minnesota in 1872. He was unable to read and write. Herman had been previously married three times. Two marriages ended in divorce and the other was annulled. He had several children by his first marriage. During the census of 1930, Katie was living with Herman in Buena Vista/Independence, Polk County, Oregon. Herman owned and operated a farm while Katie was a cook at a hotel. On 5/14/1938 Herman entered the Oregon State (Psychiatric) Hospital, a residential facility in Salem for the treatment of people with mental illness. He lived there for 11 months before dying of a stroke and heart attack at the institution on 4/17/1939. His cremains were never claimed and are still at OSH. Three and a half years later 10/19/1942, Katie was admitted to the same Oregon State Hospital. She was a patient at the asylum for 10 months and died there of heart problems on 8/28/1943 at the age of 82. She was survived by at least two siblings. Her sister Lizzie died in 1957 and their brother Henry died in Montana in 1963. Because Katie never had children, Katie's closest living relatives would be descendants of her siblings. More information about the 3500 unclaimed cremains at OSH is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/amh/osh/pages/cremains.aspx A book by David Maisel and a documentary by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Anna Catharina “Katie” Behmerwohld Kopaske's memorial?
Anna Catharina “Katie” Behmerwohld Kopaske's memorial is located at: Valparaiso Cemetery, Valparaiso, Saunders County, USA.
When did Anna Catharina “Katie” Behmerwohld Kopaske death?
Anna Catharina “Katie” Behmerwohld Kopaske death on 28 Aug 1943 in Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Anna Catharina “Katie” Behmerwohld Kopaske's memorial?
Latitude: 41.0758018
Longitude: -96.8471985

Family Members:

Parent

Henrich Behmerwohld

(1829 - 1913)

Catharina Ferrechterricht Behmerwohld

(1835 - 1916)

Spouse

Siblings

Peter J. Behmerwohld

(1865 - 1917)

Harry H. Behmerwohld

(1866 - 1920)

Henry J. Behmerwohld

(1876 - 1963)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Valparaiso Cemetery
Valparaiso, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0758018, -96.8471985

2. Saint Marys Cemetery
Valparaiso, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0675011, -96.8407974

3. Jensen Cemetery
Valparaiso, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0894012, -96.8300018

4. Saint Joseph Cemetery
Lancaster County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0163994, -96.8439026

5. Old Mount Zion Cemetery
Ceresco, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0832320, -96.7668690

6. Saint Vitus Cemetery
Touhy, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1361008, -96.8225021

7. Saint Lukes Cemetery
Loma, Butler County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1335983, -96.9460983

8. Little Salt Township Cemetery
Raymond, Lancaster County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9909600, -96.7868000

9. Rock Creek Cemetery
Ceresco, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0820400, -96.7177000

10. Znojemsky Cemetery
Weston, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1473800, -96.7498400

11. Oak Grove Cemetery
Garland, Seward County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9947014, -96.9381027

12. Oak Creek Cemetery
Brainard, Butler County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1656000, -96.9410000

13. National Bohemian Cemetery
Newman Township, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2025290, -96.8303790

14. Assumption Catholic Cemetery
Dwight, Butler County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0746994, -97.0242004

15. Fish Family Cemetery
Lancaster County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9445500, -96.8817200

16. Saint John Nepomucene Cemetery
Weston, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1910820, -96.7371140

17. Oak Creek Cemetery
Raymond, Lancaster County, USA
Coordinate: 40.9455986, -96.7664032

18. Saunders County Rural Cemetery
Ceresco, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0875000, -96.6557000

19. Czech Presbyterian Cemetery
Wahoo, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1557999, -96.6860962

20. Brainard IOOF Cemetery
Brainard, Butler County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1772700, -96.9860000

21. Old Catholic Cemetery
Brainard, Butler County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1772300, -96.9871300

22. Pokorny Cemetery
Chapman Township, Saunders County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1764774, -96.7055589

23. Union Cemetery
Dwight, Butler County, USA
Coordinate: 41.0755997, -97.0419006

24. Bohemian National Cemetery
Brainard, Butler County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1770300, -96.9885800