Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1902-11-13
A PIONEER PASSES AWAY.
Death OF Edward 6. Benke. at Arlington
Last Wednesday.

Mathews House IN Arlington ana tnls
week we with sorrow announce his
death from the injuries received. lie
passed away Saturday evening about
0 o'clock at his home in that village.
The funeral occurred at Arlington
Tuesday and was attended by friends
and associates from all over the state.
The services were held in the opera
house, that building being capable of
seating the largest number Of people.
1t was crowded to its utmost capacity
and in the streets still larger num-
Der Of people were unable to gain
admission.
The floral decorations were superb
and eXceled anything of the kind we
have seen for a long time. There
were the cross and crown, anchor and
shield, square and compases, wreaths
and boquets in lavish display inter
mingled with tropical foliage. In the
center, placed on an easel and sur
mounted by wreath, was a picture Of
the deceased. The stage was appro-
priately draped in black and white.
The service was under the auspices
OF the Masonic lodge and was con-
Quoted by representatives Of the grand
lodge by request of the local Master,
DR.. Schoenmaker. Past Grand Mas
ter Clever, of Huron acting as Master:
Past Grand Master Rice, Huron, Senior
Warden, and Past Master Milligan,
Aberdeen, representative Of the Grand
Master, acted as Junior Warden;
Grand Lecturer Ives, of st. Lawrence,
| Chaplain.
Rev. Arnold Luton of this city and
a member of Brookings Commandry
read the sermon and Rev. A. NJ. Hark-
ness OF Arlington, delivered the eulogy.
The music was very fine and a great
credit TO the local choir.
The procession to the residence of
the deceased and back to the opera
house was participated in by repre-
sentatives of the various Masonic
fraternities, chapter, blue lodge and
star, A. o. wv, and Elks, with the
knights Templar as escort. There
must have been over two hundred in
line.
The remains were conveyed to the
Arlington cemetery where the beauti-
| full Masonic burial service was per.
formed consigning the body to the
tomb.
Members of the Masonic bodies from
Brookings attending the funeral were,
Sir Knights Luton, NJ. G.. Carlisle,
Kremer, Kerr, Keith, Lorimer, Wing,
Stoddard, Hart, Eston, Moffatt, Pal
mer Henry, Mattice, Hyde, Solberg
and Roddle. Messrs. butcher, Hege-
man, Campbell. Laird, Tenant, Nord.
Bunday and Swering of the Blue
| Lodge.
r. Matson, f. c. Neill, S. c. Cor
nell, j. A. Hegeman, j.. E. Diamond,
Mrs. w. II. Roddle and Mrs. G. W.
| Goodman also went from here.
There were Masons present from
Volga, Castlewood, Bryant, DeSmct
Lake Preston, Iroquois, Huron, Aber.
deem and other points in the state.
There was also large delegation of
the A o. q. W. and representatives
of the Huron lodge Of Elks.
Edward q. Benke was born in
Wolsko, Germany, Jan. %, 1846, came
to this country when Is years of age,
worked at the printing trade in Chi
cago for one year, and then worked on
farm al Ripon, Wis, until 1870. He
then moved to Minnesota, and was
married to Miss Carrie Mundinger In
1873. In 1879 he came to Dakota and
settled at Arlington where he has
since resided. A fter the death OF his
first wife he married Miss Nina Red
dell. Four children were born of the
first union, of whom two are living.
Two children, both living, blessed she
latter union.
Mr.. Benke was state legislator in
1890, and enjoyed the confidence OF his
fellow citizens. He was prominent ia
Masonic circles, being a member of
Arlington lodge and chapter, also Sir
Knights Of Bookings, of the Scottish
Rites of Yankton, past patron of Arl-
ington Eastern Star, and member of
the Sioux Falls Shrine. He was also
a member Of the A. o. U. w. and of
the Huron lodge B. p. o. E.
Edward G.. Benke was a faithful
friend, an indulgent husband and
kind father. He was respected and |
loved by all his large circle of asso-
ciates and acquaintance, aud his
removal from our midst takes good |
cltizcn and kind neighbor.