Obituary

Diana Serfoss – Mother of Seventeen Dies at Noxen
Hundreds of sportsmen throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania who had made her home a stopping point on their jaunts into the big game and trout country along Bowman’s Creek were saddened to learn of the death of Saturday night of Mrs. Augustus Dienstel, 87, widow of the late Augustus Dienstel who died January 21, 1944.

As a young couple the Dienstels settled at the headwaters of Bowman’s Creek above Stull when the lumber industry was in its prime and there in the home nestled against the quiet hillside they reared a family. At the time of her death, Mrs. Dienstel who was the daughter of the former William and Emily (Shafer) Serfass of Kresgeville, had lived in Noxen Township sixty years. Of Pennsylvania Dutch extraction, Mr. and Mrs. Dienstel were devout Lutherans and were among founders of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church at a time when services were held in Noxen Tannery. Her death takes the last charter member of the church.

She leaves the following children; Charles of Allentown, Howard of Kingston, Amandus of Bridgeport, Ohio, Edwin of Irvington, N.J., Paul of Dayton, Ohio, Mrs. Nellie Crandall of Rhode Island, Mrs. Harry Crandall of Rhode Island, Mrs. Joseph Sheehan of Bath, Mrs. Etta Colburn of Allentown and Beulah at home; 20 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren; 4 brothers, Jesse Serfoss, John Serfoss, Amos Serfoss of Gilbert, PA, and William of Broadheadsville.

Funeral services were from St. Luke’s Lutheran Church on Tuesday afternoon with Rev. Henry Kraft in charge. Burial was in Kocher Cemetery, Ruggles.

Bearers were Roy Ayres, Gordon Shook, Guy Fritz, Herbert Osborne, Louis Hacking, Albert May: flower carriers, Mesdames Elis May Beahm, Hazel Engelman, Lena Dotter, Anna Hackling, Leona Blizzard and Doris Staley”.

Unknown Newspaper

Thanks to Ollie for clipping the obit!

Diana had a big garden and orchard, she was a good cook. She canned vegetables and fruit and had a root cellar. Several decades after her death, Edwin went in the cellar and came back with a gallon jar of pears that had been put up his mother, they looked as fresh as the day they were put up. They subsistence farmed and only bought items like 100 lb bags of flour and sugar. They did put strawberries on the train to go to Harrington's Ice Cream. Diana washed all the family clothing by hand. She was strong willed and made the decisions for the family. When she told someone to do something, it was only said once prior to being obeyed.



Other children not listed in Find a Grave


John Dienstel 4/29/1888-10/3/1888, died in Wyoming, PA. (family records only)
Jessie Albert Dienstel 12/31/1892-7/4/1895, died in Wyoming, PA. (family records only)
Emaline Dienstel 1/29/1903-2/1/1905, died in Kingston, Luzerne, PA. (family records only)

Thank you to Woodrow, Dale, Bob, Carroll and Adelaide for info for the memorial.