The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-12-05

ed brother, Charles A. Bowen and
many of You were, like us, his
friends.
II you knew Mr.. Bowen, as we did
If you We're friend of his, you
knew that he had virtues, that he had
admirable traits Of character, that
there was good in him and that he
was man worthy of your confidence
and friendship.
Mr. Bowen was good citizen. Bro
Their Bowen was a good Elk. No mem
Der of Keokuk lodge occupied high
er place in the order than did he. He
was not an officer of the lodge, but
he was faithful attendant at our
meetings and one who lived up TO
the noble precepts of Elkdom. He
could be depended upon as friend
and his death cast veil of sorrow
over the lodge.
Our sorrow was shared by all OF
Keoluk, who knew him. and his
death which came as sudden and
unexpected shock, created general
mourning.
Why review the good qualities OF
his man, when we all know him so
we'll? Instead OF referring to the best
in his life in words, let us all con-
tinue to keep his memory green by
thoughts of the most pleasant charac-
ter, about him. Let US write his viz
tues upon the tablets of love and
memory and engraye them so deeply
that time will not erase or dim them.
On the Life of Charles Off.
Brother Thos. A Hartley spoke as
follows:
Today we realize that we are not
here. Some Ci our workers whose
presence one year ago assisted III
this meeting are not with us now,
They have iourneyed on into the
Great Beyond.
Among them we find the name Of
Charles OFF, one of our helpful mem
bers. Brother Charles Off was initiat-
ed into the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, No. LOG of Keokuk, Ia,
May IS 1905 and proved to be one Ut
our most enthusiastic and energetic
members, holding the office of Lee
turing Knight when he passed away.
He was known Gs a great fraternity
man, having membership at the time
of his death in the Elks, Woodmen,
Owls, Legion of Honor, Eagles, A. y.
U. w. and Odd Fellows, Ia the latter
he had risen to prominence--it was
the first order he had Joined and con-
Quoted its work in his native tongue,
consequently was very near to his
heart.
Brother Charles Offs passing away
was very sudden-he leaving his
home and family in seemingly PEI
feet health to attend lodge conven-
ton in kahoka, Mo-, and was only
gone few short hours, when a mes
sage was flashed over the wires an
nouncing that he was no more. The
shock to his beloved family was in
| Geed great. as they were among the
first to receive the news and he was
devoted to his wife and family All
was done for the stricken family that
loving hands and sympathetic hearts
could do.
Charles Off was born March IL
| 1866 in Appelsbohm, Wurtemburg
Germany he obtained his education
in the schools of his native country
and Vas alike credit to his own
and his adopted country.
At the age of fifteen years, he came
to America and in 1887, he came to
! Keokpk. He was successful busi
ness man and had been in business
| here for fifteen years. He was an in
! dustrious worker and also an enthusi
astic promoter for anything that was
| for the good of his home town, Keo
4 kui.
He was married November s, 1881
4 to Wilhelmina Trinkh, and the wifi.
j together with the following named
children ,karolina, Wilhelmina anc
Gertrude, daughters; Charles, Gustav
I and Ernest, sons survive him.
Charles Off was public-soirltet
man and politically affiliated with the
democratic party, serving as atier
Ran and later as mayor. He was Of
jovial disposition, honest in bust
ness, charitable to a fault and of al
4 unbending will to overcome obstacles
when assigned duty he was al
ways active and energetic in per
forming same-this making him valu
able in lodge work. He will be great
I " missed in Keokuk. His example u
industry and thrift, his genial pres
ence and CHEEKY salutations We're al
integral part of his daily life and ap
preciated as they deserved.
The supreme lesson Of an occasion
like this is the importance of beinl
ready, to meet the call of the Deatt
Angel. when it shall come, as it mus
come to all,
How few there are that the Deatt
pHR WORCESTERSHIRE