Beata Ida Charlotte Gildemeister Unruh
December 28, 1907 – August 14, 1955
Elmer A. Unruh
October 31, 1899 – September 1, 1978
I love this simple, metal headstone. It’s very small but stands out from the more usual stone headstones around it.
Beata was the second oldest child and oldest daughter of John and Louisa Gildemeister (US-born). She married Elmer sometime before she turned twenty-two (her age at the time of the 1930 census). Elmer was a truck driver eight years her senior. The two never had children and Beata sadly died at 47.
Beata and Elmer were living together in 1940 but, confusingly, Elmer does not list her as his next-of-kin on the draft card he filled out in 1942. One wonders if he and Beata were separated or if it was that her health was poor and she was not able to act as next-of-kin.
The records are unclear. It seems as if Elmer may have had a previous marriage, though I can find no record of how that one ended if so (and it may have been a different Elmer Unruh). Elmer did remarry after Beata’s passing.
He retired to Florida with last wife Jean but was brought home to Concordia to be buried beside Beata.
RIP Beata and Elmer
Please visit my Instagram for any questions or comments on this post!