1911
Anita
2005
Anita Zempel
March 4, 1911 — November 6, 2005
Anita Arnika Pepke Zempel was born March 4th, 1911 at home in Alban Township in Grant County, what would be two miles south of the city of Milbank, to Wladislaf (William) and Henrietta (Gesswein) Pepke. Anita attended school at the Yellow Bend #2 school where she completed the eighth grade. She was confirmed at the Emanuel Lutheran Church by Pastor Wessler on April 1st, 1928 in Milbank, SD.
Anita stayed at her parents home, working as a private housekeeper for Milbank families until the 1930's. She then went by train to Chicago and worked for Dr. Samuel Findberg as a housekeeper for four years during the Depression. After returning home, she worked for Schads Bakery in Milbank and as a private housekeeper in Watertown until 1938.
Anita was united in marriage to Allen William Zempel on January 29, 1938 at the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank, SD. Anita was the only one of her siblings to be married. They lived on a farm in Yellow Bank Township until moving to Odessa, MN in September of 1974. Anita and Allen celebrated thirty-eight years of marriage before his death in 1976.
Anita continued to work for Ellingson Honey House Inc. in Odessa, MN for many years following Allen's death. Anita also continued to make her home in Odessa living in a remodeled box car from a train that had an addition added to it. The 1997 flood in Odessa damaged her home, Anita had to travel by boat to check on her partially flooded home. She was able to clean and restore her home and continue to live there until joining Virgil and Sharon Snell in Milbank, SD in 2000. Anita then entered the Northridge Residence in Ortonville, MN in September 2004 where she resided until her death on Saturday, November 5th, 2005.
Anita was preceded in death by her husband Allen William Zempel, her parents Wladyslaf and Henrietta Pepke, five sisters; Martha Maria, Marla Julianna, Lila Theofield, Alice Cacilie, and Olga Sophea, one brother Walter Ewald, and her cousin Elise Gesswein. She is survived by cousins; Weston (Ruth) Schneck of Ortonville, MN and Elfie (Milo) Anderson of Watertown, SD.
Anita stayed at her parents home, working as a private housekeeper for Milbank families until the 1930's. She then went by train to Chicago and worked for Dr. Samuel Findberg as a housekeeper for four years during the Depression. After returning home, she worked for Schads Bakery in Milbank and as a private housekeeper in Watertown until 1938.
Anita was united in marriage to Allen William Zempel on January 29, 1938 at the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank, SD. Anita was the only one of her siblings to be married. They lived on a farm in Yellow Bank Township until moving to Odessa, MN in September of 1974. Anita and Allen celebrated thirty-eight years of marriage before his death in 1976.
Anita continued to work for Ellingson Honey House Inc. in Odessa, MN for many years following Allen's death. Anita also continued to make her home in Odessa living in a remodeled box car from a train that had an addition added to it. The 1997 flood in Odessa damaged her home, Anita had to travel by boat to check on her partially flooded home. She was able to clean and restore her home and continue to live there until joining Virgil and Sharon Snell in Milbank, SD in 2000. Anita then entered the Northridge Residence in Ortonville, MN in September 2004 where she resided until her death on Saturday, November 5th, 2005.
Anita was preceded in death by her husband Allen William Zempel, her parents Wladyslaf and Henrietta Pepke, five sisters; Martha Maria, Marla Julianna, Lila Theofield, Alice Cacilie, and Olga Sophea, one brother Walter Ewald, and her cousin Elise Gesswein. She is survived by cousins; Weston (Ruth) Schneck of Ortonville, MN and Elfie (Milo) Anderson of Watertown, SD.