Karl Gottlob Fritsche would have been 126 years old today.  He was born on December 3,  1892, and baptized at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob, Illinois. He was the son of Robert and Magdalene (Darnstaedt) Fritsche.  This is his baptism record.  It stretches out over two pages, so I had to make two images.

Carl was called Charley most of his life.  We have this photo that shows Charley’s parents.

About six years after his birth, Ida Margaretha Luedemann was born and baptized at the same church.  She was born on June 12, 1898 and was the daughter of Henry and Marie (Guetersloh) Luedemann.  This is her baptism record.

On April 9, 1911, Ida was confirmed.  We have this confirmation photo of Ida.

Ida was just about to turn 18 years old when she married Charley Fritsche on May 7, 1916.  They were married at the same church at which they were baptized, Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob.  Below is the marriage record in the church books.

We also have this photo including the wedding party for this marriage.

According to the church record, the attendants were Ernest Luedemann, Frieda Darnstaedt, Henry Guetersloh, and Anne Zerbst.  Ida gave birth to her first child seven months later, so she may have been pregnant in this photo.

The 1920 census shows the Fritsches living in Jacob with two children.

A photo that I have used on this blog before shows Charley Fritsche and some of his siblings.  Charley is standing in the back, second from the left. 

Here is a close-up of that photo showing just Charley.

According to our German Family Tree, Charley and Ida had six children.  Sadly, Charley and Ida outlived three of those six children.  One son died in 1929 at the age of 7, and a daughter died in 1930 at the age of 2.  These two children are buried together in the Christ Lutheran Cemetery in Jacob.

Another daughter, Dorothy, married Harold Versemann in 1952, but not even four years later, she and her in-laws were killed in an automobile crash near Menfro, Missouri in Perry County.  An newspaper article was written about this event, and it is shown in the image below.

Here is Dorothy’s death certificate.  Charley is shown as being the informant.

Charley died in 1963.  Here is his obituary.

When he died, his father, Robert was still alive at the age of 97.  Robert died less than a month after his son, Charley, died.  Ida died in 1987 at the age of 88.  Ida and Charley are buried together in the Christ Lutheran Cemetery in Jacob.

I think it is quite the coincidence that after I was already researching for this story yesterday, my wife was contacted to do some substitute teaching today for one of our Kindergarten teachers, and her name is Mrs. Fritsche.