NAME: Kesl, Michael (m. Frances Wolf)

OBIT: Tama News Herald, Tama, Iowa, 12 Jun 1941

Michael Kesl Buried Sunday - Died Thursday in Elberon At Age of 82

 Funeral service for Michael Kesl of Elberon was held Sunday afternoon, June 8, 1941, from Hrabaks's Funeral Home in Chelsea, with Rev. Trev White, pastor of the Chelsea Methodist church in charge.
 Mrs. Albert L. Kosta and Mrs. William A. Stanek sang "In the Garden" and "Beyond the Sunset," with Mrs. Clifford Houston at the organ.
 Casket bearers were James Parizek, Charles Sikir, Frank Kucera, Charles J. Houska, Edward Valenta and William F. Houska. Burial was in the National Cemetery, Vining.
 Mr. Kesl died last Thursday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Stanley Josifek in Elberon. A little more than two months ago he suffered a fractured hip, which with heart trouble and other infirmities of old age caused his death. He felt fine the day before his death and was up and around. The next morning at 6 o'clock his daughter entered his bedroom and saw him move his eyelids in drowsiness. When she entered his room again an hour later he was dead in bed.
 Michael Kesl, son of Vencel Kesl and Mary Soukup, was born Oct. 18, 1858, on a farm in York township, Tama County, Iowa and died June 5, 1941, while a resident of Elberon, Ia. having reached the age of 82 years, seven months and 18 days.
 He was the first of a family of 8 children, his father having come to the United States from Bohemia about a year before Michael was born.
 He was married in 1885 to Frances Wolf of Salt Creek township. To this union were born four children, all of whom survive. They are Mrs. Stanley (Agnes) Josifek of Elberon, Emil W. Kesl of Chelsea, Milvoy Kesl of Des Moines, and Mrs. Edward (Millie) Zeman of Chelsea. The latter two are twins.
 There are two grandchildren, Gayle and Beverly Zeman of Chelsea, and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Kubik of Elberon, and Mrs. Catherine Fordyce of Cedar Rapids.
 In his youth Mr. Kesl worked in his father's general merchandise store in Elberon and then took over management of the store. In 1881 he erected a new building in Elberon for his business and was engaged in the retail trade there until about 1902 when he sold out and moved to Tama. In Tama he operated a piano store for a year. After the store was destoryed by fire in 1903 he moved back to Elberon and went into the general merchandise business again. He remained in business there until 1938 then he retired.
 In his ocupation as a merchant he was widely known. His honesty and integrity were never questioned and his generosity and love for humanity was well known. His love for his children who were so early bereft of their mother was a matter of comment. His family was always uppermost in his mind and life.
 Mr. Kesl was a member of the Odd Fellows, the C.S.P.S. and Z.C.B.J. Lodges of Vining.