The Extended Batke Family with Link neighbors

The Extended Batke Family with Link neighbors
Pictured in the photo: (Back row, standing, left to right) Herman Fredrick, Anna Batke, Henry Batke, Sr., Selma Batke, Henry Robert Batke, William Batke and Arthur Engler. (Front row/sitting, left to right) Donald Fredrick, Robert Fredrick, Katherine Batke Fredrick, Ruth Batke, Edwin Batke, Katherine Reck Batke, Jerald Batke, Edna Kwiatkowski Batke, Mary Batke Engler and Elaine Engler. Taken c1940, possibly to celebrate Henry and Katherine’s 30th wedding anniversary, October 22, 1940. Photo courtesy: Don Fredrick.

About Henry Batke and Katherine Reck

Heinrich Batke, the son of Martin Batke (c1848-b1912) and Anna Lock (1848-1939) was born in Chortitza, Russia on September 7, 1877. Also in Russia, Catharina Reck was born on October 14, 1890. Her parents were John Reck and Renata Shirk. Henry and Katherine married in Russia on September 22, 1910. On July 13, 1912, Henry, his wife and seven month old daughter, Katherine, sailed from the Port of Bremen, Germany on the ship Pallanza. They traveled to Quebec City, Canada arriving on July 28, 1912. They immediately left on a special Canadian Pacific Railroad train to Saskatchewan, Canada. The Batkes homesteaded in Lydiard, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan between 1913 and 1918. On October 3, 1917 Henry Batke became a citizen of Canada. Due to England's sovereignty over Canada, he became a British citizen. Finding farming in Canada difficult, on December 7, 1921 the Batke family, now also including Mary, William and Selma, left for Yellow Pine, Alabama. After the birth of Anna and much hardship in Alabama, the family moved to St. Joseph, Michigan where children Henry, Ruth and Edwin were born. Henry, a furniture maker in Russia, became a machine operator at the 1900 Corporation, a fore-runner of Whirlpool, in St. Joseph. After Henry's death on April 7, 1949, Katherine Reck Batke married Gustav Schmeichel in 1959. Katherine Reck Batke Schmeichel died at the Claremont Nursing Home in Benton, Michigan on October 28, 1979.

Monday, May 24, 2010

The Children of Henry and Katherine Batke - Obituaries

Katherine Batke Fredrick  (1911-1997)
Katherine Fredrick, 85, of St. Joseph, died Sunday afternoon, August 10, 1997, at her home.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday Aug. 13, 1997, at Trinity Lutheran church in St. Joseph.  the family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Kerley & Starks Funeral Home, St. Joseph.  Memorials may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church Ladies Aid or Hospice at Home of Stevensville.  Burial will be in North Shore Memory Gardens, Hagar Shores.
Mrs. Fredrick was born on Nov. 30, 1911, in Ekatrinaslav, Russia to Henry and Katherine (Reck) Batke.  She moved with her family to Canada and settled in St. Joseph in 1924.  She often reflected that her time at Trinity Lutheran School singing in the choir and being a Walther League member were the happiest of her young life.  She was a member of the Trinity Ladies Aid for more than 50 years.   She was married to Herman Fredrick, who preceded her in death in 1977.
Survivors include three children and their families -- Donald (Barbara) Fredrick of Ypsilanti, Mich., Robert (Ruth) Fredrick of Salt Lake City, Utah and Jeannie (Robert) Hartman of Stevensville; a total of nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren were often the focus of her care and attention.  She is also survived by three brothers -- William Batke of Chicago, Henry Batke Jr. of Florida, and Edwin (Barbara) Batke of North Carolina; as well as three sisters -- Mary (Arthur) Engler, Anna Pesko and Ruth Jonatzke of St. Joseph.  A forth sister, Selma Smith, preceded her in heath.
The Herald-Palladium, Benton Harbor-St. Joseph, MI, August 11, 1997, p. 7A, col. 4

Mary Batke Engler  (1914-2008)
Mary Engler, age 94, of St. Joseph, died Friday, July 25, 2008.
Mary was born June 22, 1914, in Canada, the daughter of Henry and Catherine (Reck) Batke.  Her husband of 71 years, Arthur, preceded her in death on July 12, 2006.
A celebration of Mary's life will be held on Thursday, July 31, at 11 a.m., at the Dey Florin chapel of Florin Funeral Services, St. Joseph.  Visitation will be on Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in North Shore Memory Gardens, Hagar Shores.  Memorials in Mary's name may be directed to Grace Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Engler was a member of Grace Lutheran church.  She enjoyed flowers, gardening, and in general working outside in her yard.
Mary is survived by her children -- Elaine Bush of St. Joseph and Kenneth (Nok) Engler of Woodbridge, Va.; five grandchildren; three great-granchildren; her sister, Anna Pesko of St. Joseph; and her brother, Henry Batke of Florida.
Besides her husband Arthur, Mary was preceded in death by her son, Charles Engler; two brothers and three sisters.
[Obit provided by Elaine Bush. Newspaper and date unknown]

William Henry Batke  (1915-2005) 
William Henry Batke, age 89, a resident of Lee Manor in DesPlaines, Illinois, died Sunday, June 26, 2005.   Mr. Batke was born August 12, 1915 in Saskatchewan, Canada and immigrated to the US with his family in 1921.  He is survived by his son Bruce of DesPlaines; sisters Mary Engler and Anna Pesko, both of St. Joseph, Michigan; and a brother Henry of Florida.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Katherine (Reck) Batke; his wife Edna (Bednark); son, Jerald William and daughter, Cynthia Gibson; three sisters, Katherine Fredrick, Selma Smith and Ruth Marie Jonatzke and a brother Edwin.  Funeral arrangements are private.
[The family believes no obituary was published so I have written a tribute to William reflective of information as of the date of his death.]

Selma Batke Smith  (1918-1980)
Mrs. Olen (Selma) Smith, 61, 413 Beals Place, Seminole, Okla., formerly of St. Joseph and Buchanan, died Thursday at Seminole Municipal Hospital.
Friends may call beginning Sunday at 10 a.m. at Kerley and Starks Funeral Home, St. Joseph, where funeral services will be held Monday at 1 p.m.  Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Buchanan.  Memorials may be made to the American Cancer society.
Mrs. Smith was born Jan. 27, 1919 in Canada.  She was a member of St. Johns Lutheran Church, Shawnee, Okla.  Survivors include: her husband; one son, Roger of Chicago, Ill.; two daughters -- Mrs. Jeff (Judy) Jacobs of Atlanta, Ga., Cheryl Smith of Seminole; four grandchildren; four sisters -- Mrs. Katherine Frederick, Mrs. Alex (Anna) Pesko, Mrs. Robert (Ruth) Jonatzke, all of St. Joseph, Mrs. Arthur (Mary) Engler of Coloma; and three brothers -- William and Henry Batke, both of St. Joseph, Edward Batke of Coloma.
The Herald-Palladium, Benton Harbor, Michigan, July 25, 1980

Anna Batke Pesko – Living

Henry Robert Batke (1924-2008)
Henry R. Batke, Jr. 84, Oakland, died Wednesday.  Banfield Funeral Home, Winter Springs.
Orlando
Sentinel, Orlando, Florida, December 27, 2008, page B8

Ruth Batke Jonatzke  (1931-1999)
St. Joseph -- Ruth Marie (Batke) Jonatzke, 68, of St. Joseph died June 20, 1999, at Lakeland Specialty Hospital, Berrien Center.
Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at Kerley & Starks Funeral Home, St. Joseph, where visitation will be held from 6 to 7 p.m.  Thursday.  Cremation has taken place.  Memorials may be made to Hospice at Home or the Kidney Foundation.
She was born June 5, 1931, in St. Joseph.  She retired from Williams Brothers Paper Box Co.
Survivors include: four sons -- Robert (Gay) Jonatzke of Benton Harbor, Michael Jonatzke of Niles, Steven (Lisa) Jonatzke of Holiday, Fla., and Gerald Jonatzke of St. Joseph; a daughter, Valerie (Keith) Hafer of Sodus; seven grandchildren -- Tiffany Jonatzke, Kristina Lawton, Rebecca Jonatzke, Andrew Jonatzke, Stephanie Hafer, Matthew Jonatzke and Brennen Jonatzke; two sisters -- Anna Pesko and Mary (Arthur) Engler, both of St. Joseph; and two brothers -- Henry Batke of Davie, Fla., and William Batke of Schaumberg, Ill.
Herald-Palladium, Benton Harbor, Michigan, June 23, 1999.

Edwin Arthur Batke  (1933-1997)
Edwin A. Batke, 64, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 1997, at Moses H. Cone Hospital.
Funeral service will be at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997, at Christ Covenant Church with Pastor David Longobardo officiating. Burial will follow in Guilford Memorial Park.
Mr. Batke was employed with Bobby's BP and was a member of Christ Covenant Church.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Batke of the home; stepchildren, Derrick Green of Swansboro; Paige Green of Reidsville; three sisters; two brothers; and nine grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 2:30 p.m. at the church Sunday, prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hospice at Greensboro, 2500 Summit Ave., Greensboro, N.C. 27405 or Teen Challenge, 1912 Boulevard St., Greensboro, NC 27407 or Christ Covenant School Fund, 1414 Cliffwood Dr., Greensboro, NC 27406.
Forbis & Dick Guilford Chapel is serving the family.
Greensboro News & Record, November 29, 1997, page B3

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