#1-Printed in the July 3, 1947 Pilot-Tribune, Blair, Nebraska

Mr. Bendorf Dead at 85

Father of Blair Mortician Dies; Once Farmer, Later Operated Taxi

Christen L. Bendorf, 85, for many years a well-known Blairite, died Friday at Dodge County Hospital in Fremont. He was the father of Chris K. Bendorf, Blair mortician.

Mr. Bendorf once farmed in this vicinity, and later operated a taxi in Blair.

The funeral was held at First Lutheran church Monday, the Rev. H.C. Jorgensen officiating. Interment was in Blair Cemetery.

Native of Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark, Mr. Bendorf was born Nov. 4, 1861. In 1871 he came with his mother to Omaha, and the family moved to Blair two years later. Mr. Bendorf and Mrs. Andrea Larsen were married in 1891.

For several years Mr. Bendorf operated a brickyard in Blair, then moved to a farm west of Blair in 1904, and later to a farm west of Herman. He returned to Blair in 1918. In recent years he had made his home with his children, part of the time in Blair but more recently at Atlantic and Alta, Iowa.

Mr. Bendorf’s wife died in 1922. Also preceding him in death were a daughter, Cora; a son, Frank; and a stepdaughter, Mrs. Mary Wolff. Surviving him are two sons, Chris K. Bendorf of Blair and Matthew R. Bendorf of Atlantic, Ia.; two daughters, Mrs. Anna Kopp of Neillsville, Wis., and Mrs. Laura Holstein of Alta, Ia.; three stepsons, Lars Larsen of Herman, James Larsen of Fremont, and Mike Larsen of Omaha. There are 31 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

#2-3 July, 1947 - The Enterprise

CHRIS L. BENDORF PASSES AWAY JUNE 27TH

Old Settler Passes At Age of Eighty Five Years Born in Denmark

Mr. Chris L. Bendorf passed away at the Dodge County hospital on June 27th following an amputation of a leg after which gangrene had set in.

Deceased was born in Denmark on November 4, 1861 and came to this country with a sister in 1873. His mother had preceded him. He was reared in this county and in 1891 was married to Mrs. Andreas Larson, the marriage ceremony being performed in Blair. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bendorf, four of whom are living. They are Mrs. Ed Holstein of Alta, Iowa; Mrs. Anna Koff of Wisconsin; Chris K. of Blair and Mathew R. of Atlantic, Iowa. There were also four stepchildren, three of whom are living, Mike, Lars and James Larson, all of this county.

In his early life Mr. Bendorf was a brick manufacturer which trade he followed for a number of years before he went farming. He was a man of great energy and his old friends held him in high esteem.

Funeral services were held June 30th from the First Lutheran Church under the auspices of the Bendorf Funeral Home and with Rev. H. C. Jorgensen officiating, and interment was made in the Blair cemetery.

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

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