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  • Writer's pictureRochelle Gridley

The Dierkes Family


1915 ended on a sad note for the Dierkes family. Herman Dierkes was a baker, along with his brother Arthur, in Bloomington at that time. He had moved to Bloomington with his wife the former Daisy Lamka sometime after 1910. They had two children, Dorothea, age 3, and Arthur, age 1 when Herman died of a short and unspecified illness on December 31, 1915.

Luckily for this young family Arthur and Nettie Dierkes took them in to their home. Arthur and Nettie had no children of their own and Arthur's obituary in 1939 indicated that he devoted all his time to his young neice and nephew after their father's death. Daisy did remarry, to Nicholas Pritch. Nicholas Pritch was a doorman at a theater and Daisy worked as a stenographer at the courthouse. She remarried a third time to George W Brown.

Dorothea and Arthur grew up on the west side of Bloomington. They both attended and graduated from Bloomington High School and both worked at State Farm Insurance Company. Arthur started his work as a tabulating machine operator and ended his career as an assistant auditor. At one point he was recognised for 40 years of service at State Farm. Dorothea worked in some capacity at State Farm until the time she married Fred Gilmore of Gibson City in 1949. After her marriage she lived on their farm near Gibson City.

Arthur Dierkes married Ruth Todd in 1940. After their marriage Arthur served in WWII and continued working at State Farm Insuarnce Co.

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