Burial: Tekamah Cemetery, Tekamah, NE

Findagrave Memorial: 172764158

#1 The Enterprise 28 April 1916

Mrs. T.P. Blankenbeckler (Marila Jane Copenhaver)

The death of a former well-known highly respected resident of this county, Mrs. T.P. Blankenbeckler, occurred at the family home on a farm on upper Silver Creek in Burt County, on Thursday of last week, the 20th, after an illness of a long duration, at the age of sixty-five.

The Blankenbeckler’s farmed the Harvey Justice place south of Blair fifteen or eighteen years ago and made may friends during their residence in this county. They moved to Burt County where they have since lived and are greatly respected.

Four daughters, Mrs. Will Taylor, Mrs. T. Diviney, Mrs. Dan and Mrs. William Thompson live near Blair, the bereaved husband and five other children residing in Burt County.

The funeral was held at Tekamah on Saturday, the 22nd and the relatives and a number of friends from this county were in attendance. The burial was in the Tekamah Cemetery.

#2 The Enterprise (Burt County Herald) 5 May 1916

Marila Jane Copenhaver was born on March 16th, 1851, at Chilhowie, Smith County, Virginia, and passed away April 20th, 1916 at Tekamah, Nebr., aged 65 years, 1 month, and 4 days.

She was united in marriage to T.P. Blankenbeckler on Oct. 9th, 1878. There were born to this union nine children and there are three of her sister’s children, making a family of twelve, and her sister being the first wife of Mr. Blankenbeckler. All the twelve were present at the funeral. The responsibilities that come to a mother in the care of a large family were always well done and she gave herself entirely to her home.

More than twenty years ago, she united with St. James Lutheran Church, back in Virginia and remained a member to the last.

On April 22 the funeral service was held from the home to the Presbyterian Church in Tekamah and was in charge of the pastor, Rev. Benj. A. Fye, assisted by Rev. C. H. Bancroft, pastor of the Silver Creek and Riverside Baptist Churches. The text was from Job 16:22 and the music was in charge of a quartet. The floral offerings were many and beautiful and a large number gathered to pay tribute to a mother who has been faithful in every way.

The husband, two brothers, two sisters, the children and thirty grandchildren are left to mourn their loss. The pallbearers who made the interment in the Tekamah Cemetery were Frank Cameron, S.A. Wassum, Ralph Redding, George Hawkins, Dave Richardson and Clyde Grothe.

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