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Hildegarde “Tillie” Mertz Donovan

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Birth	:	18 Jan 1914 Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, USA
Death	:	29 Nov 2005 Alliance, Box Butte County, Nebraska, USA
Burial	:	Hemingford Cemetery, Hemingford, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.3125000, -103.0541992
Plot	:	Block 4, Section B, Row 3, Lot 16, space C
Description	:	Biography from Gary Mertz, Findagrave member #47265867: HILDEGARDE MERTZ DONOVAN in 1987: "Born 18 Jan 1914 at Sheboygan, Wisconsin to Gottfried and Emily (Amelia) Mertz. My Father was born in the German sector of Russia, Jan 27th, 1874 (1876). My Mother was born there also in 1880 (1881). Both spoke only German which was the language we used at home. They came to the United States when they were still young (1901). Mother had ten children by time she was 37(34) years old, I was the tenth child and never heard of the oldest two who must have died in infancy. Henry... Read More	Biography from Gary Mertz, Findagrave member #47265867: HILDEGARDE MERTZ DONOVAN in 1987: "Born 18 Jan 1914 at Sheboygan, Wisconsin to Gottfried and Emily (Amelia) Mertz. My Father was born in the German sector of Russia, Jan 27th, 1874 (1876). My Mother was born there also in 1880 (1881). Both spoke only German which was the language we used at home. They came to the United States when they were still young (1901). Mother had ten children by time she was 37(34) years old, I was the tenth child and never heard of the oldest two who must have died in infancy. Henry was the oldest that I remember. John his twin died at the age of 15 (14) of diabetes. Next came Emily, Emma, Clara and Edwin who drowned at age 16 (7). Walter and I were the last. My Mother died Feb l9l7 (l915) during the first World War flu epidemic. She also had consumption which now is called Tuberculosis. My Aunt, Father's sister took care of me till he remarried when I was five (3-1/2) years old. (l7 Aug 1917). Father married a widow with 3 sons, she was fifteen years older than my Dad. It was a marriage of convenience for she soon sent my sisters out to work in homes as housekeepers. Walter and I stayed home for we were so young. Walter and I worked in the bean-fields picking beans every summer for school clothes. Walter ran away from home when he was 14 and was on his own thereafter. My Stepmother didn't like him and Father would beat him when he came home from work. My father drank a lot to get away from home. The atmosphere at home was bad with all the drinking and quarreling. When I graduated from the 8th grade I was farmed out to some distant relatives who ran a saloon and boarding house to do house work. Two months later my sisters whom I hardly knew came and got me. My parents were very unhappy as my money I earned went to them. Sister Emma took me to live at her home where she and her husband and two daughters lived. I was to go to school and sister Clara would give me ten dollars a month for books and clothing etc. I also worked five hours after school six days a week, all day Saturdays. I paid Emma two dollars a week out of the four I received weekly. In the beginning of my Jr. year my brother-in-law quarreled about my paying more board and dating and other minor things. I left their home and quit school. My stepmother would not let me stay with them even when I said I would work and pay board and room. I got a job at the telephone offices and made $11 a week which at that time was excellent money. I found a place to board and room reasonably. I worked five months when my brother Henry came to Sheboygan to visit. He hadn't seen me since I was two years old. His wife Gladys and he were very upset when they found me on my own. They said I was far too young and needed to finish school. I came to Alliance, Nebraska with them in August, l930. When I tried to go to school we found that I would have to pay $15 a month tuition which my brother could not afford with his wife and two children (Howard -7 and Betty Lou -3) so I got a job instead at the telephone office in Alliance. I worked there till I was married on 7 May 1932 to Willard L. Donovan at Bridgeport, Nebraska. We were blest with five children. We had 16 Grandchildren, one passed away at the age of three. I continued to work for the telephone company at various times till I had thirty years in. I retired at age 61 in May 1975. Bill died 1 Sep l983 after a lingering illness. We have eight great grandchildren now, the oldest which is now l4. We were married 51 years. Bill and I joined the St. Johns Lutheran Church in 1982 which we were both very happy we had done. I now enjoy my family who are all wonderful to me, my friends, working in the yard with flowers. I have excellent health so far for my age which at this time is 73 years. May God bless all my children and Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren in the years to come. Life has been good to me."

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Hildegarde “Tillie” Mertz Donovan's memorial?
Hildegarde “Tillie” Mertz Donovan's memorial is located at: Hemingford Cemetery, Hemingford, Box Butte County, USA.
When did Hildegarde “Tillie” Mertz Donovan death?
Hildegarde “Tillie” Mertz Donovan death on 29 Nov 2005 in Alliance, Box Butte County, Nebraska, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Hildegarde “Tillie” Mertz Donovan's memorial?
Latitude: 42.3125000
Longitude: -103.0541992

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

Willard Lesel Donovan

(1909 - 1983)

Siblings

Children

Carol Sue Donovan Walters

(1940 - 1992)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Hemingford Cemetery
Hemingford, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.3125000, -103.0541992

2. Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery
Hemingford, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.2785520, -103.0046210

3. Nonpareil Cemetery
Hemingford, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.2631149, -103.0824258

4. Ball Cemetery
Hemingford, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.3372300, -103.2293300

5. Pioneer-Box Butte Cemetery
Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.3640700, -102.8502400

6. Katen Cemetery
Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4267006, -102.8908005

7. Lawn Cemetery
Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.3224630, -103.3083830

8. Fairview Cemetery
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.2409160, -102.7879280

9. Marsland Cemetery
Marsland, Dawes County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4660988, -103.2838974

10. Saint Johns United Lutheran Church Columbarium
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1178900, -102.8794100

11. Calvary Cemetery
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1264000, -102.8569031

12. Saint Matthews Episcopal Church Columbarium
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1106300, -102.8748000

13. Bohemian Pioneer Cemetery
Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.2946300, -103.3862200

14. Immanuel Lutheran Church Columbarium
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1053100, -102.8711700

15. United Methodist Church Columbarium
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1013300, -102.8710400

16. Alliance Cemetery
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.1104965, -102.8367996

17. Snake Creek Cemetery
Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0889015, -103.2742004

18. Pleasant Hill Cemetery
Chadron, Dawes County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5547300, -102.8429000

19. Evergreen Cemetery
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0244000, -103.0542000

20. Nebraska Veterans Cemetery
Alliance, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0745700, -102.8182800

21. Belmont Cemetery
Belmont, Dawes County, USA
Coordinate: 42.5527992, -103.2964020

22. Highland Center Cemetery
Dawes County, USA
Coordinate: 42.6100006, -103.1258011

23. Letan Cemetery
Letan, Box Butte County, USA
Coordinate: 42.0162290, -102.9367660

24. Saint Peters Cemetery
Sheridan County, USA
Coordinate: 42.4975014, -102.7161026