Catherine Jockes Berg (1905-1923)
KILLED BY TRAIN
Miss Katherine Berg was struck and killed by train number 37, due here at 10:42 a.m., last Thursday. Miss Berg was the book-keeper and stenographer at the Sta-Rite Roofing Co. plant, and had been to the bank for the company and was on her way back to work when she was struck by the train. The accident happened just north of the section house. The supposition is that she was walking along the ties outside the rail, and the condition of her body would bear this out, as she was not cut up. Some say she was so interested in what she was reading that she did not hear the train coming. She was thrown several feet after being struck and her body was badly bruised. She had a bad cut in the back of her head, which undoubtedly caused instant death. She had been working at the Sta-Rite factory for seven weeks and we understand this was her first trip to the bank for the company.She was the adopted daughter of Miss Louise Berg, living in the north part of town, and was a young lady who had a large circle of friends. Her untimely death was a shock to our people. She was about eighteen years of age.
Funeral services were held at St. Edward Catholic church Monday at 10 a.m. and the services were attended by a large number of sorrowing relatives and friends.
The following obituary was found in the Dec. 13, 1923, Lowell Tribune, page 1, column 4:
- Catherine Jockes Berg, an only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jockes, was born in New York City on November 9, 1905. After the death of her parents, at the age of three years, she was taken into the Catholic Home Bureau of dependant children, of New York City, from which she was taken into the home of, and adopted by, Miss Louise Berg December 10, 1909.
She graduated from St. Edward Parochial School in June 1920, after which she took a course in stenography and at the time of her death was employed as stenographer in the office of the Sta-Rite Roofing Mfg. Co. of Lowell.
She was of a quiet happy disposition, and devoted to her home, friends, and religion. She wished nothing more than to be of service to others and was loved and respected by all with whom she came in contact in her daily life. Her true Christian character made of her a good friend and a model of young womanhood.
She passed away on December 6, 1923, at the age of 18 years, 27 days. She leaves to mourn the loss of her, her foster-mother, Miss Louise Berg, an aunt, Mrs. Mary Weber, of Chicago, an uncle, B.H. Berg, of Hammond, and many other relatives and friends by whom the loss will be keenly felt.
Funeral services, which were largely attended, were conducted at St. Edward church on Monday, December 10, 1923, at 10 o'clock a.m., Rev. Father Ryder officiating at Requiem High mass.
George Beckman, Justin Viant, Florian Heiser, David Bruckman, Jr., William King and Walter Carlin acted as pall-bearers. Louise Beckman, Mayme Schuetz, Anna Carlin, Margaret Dodd, Maurine Schmal and Virginia Berg, members of the young Ladies Society, of which the deceased was a faithful member, acted as honorary pall-bearers. Interment in St. Edward cemetery.
Card of Thanks: We wish to thank Rev. Father Ryder and our friends and neighbors for their consoling words of sympathy, and kindness; also the choir; those who furnished the use of their cars, those who acted as pall-bearers and honorary pall-bearers, and those who sent such beautiful floral offerings, for our dear daughter and niece, Catherine Jockes Berg. Their kindness will ever be remembered and cherished by us. Signed:
- Miss Louise Berg
Mrs. Mary Weber
B.H. Berg
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