Janitor, 89, Found Dead

Barthol Meyer Ended Life At Fontanelle Says Sheriff’s Report

The death early Saturday of Barthol Meyer, 89-year-old Fontanelle man, was pronounced a suicide by Sheriff William McDonald, who said the aged and highly respected man had hanged himself with a cord tied around his bedpost.

Phillip Westerbeck, who has been residing with Mr. Meyer, could give no reason for Mr. Meyer’s act. Westerbeck said he prepared breakfast as usual Saturday, and upon Mr. Meyer’s non-appearance, went to investigate. The body was clad in nightclothes.

Mr. Meyer had been janitor at Salem Lutheran church in Fontanelle for many years. Born at Hanover, Germany, he came to the United States in 1880, and was married to Alvina Bloch, a former resident of Posen, Germany, in 1892. Mrs. Meyer preceded her husband in death by six years, and two children born to the couple died in infancy.

Surviving the aged Fontanelle man is a step-son, Otto A. Bloch of Glenwood, California.

Funeral services, with arrangements in charge of the Campbell mortuary of Blair, were held at 2 p.m. Monday at Salem church, burial following in the family lot in the church cemetery.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

FindaGrave # 69196341