The Hyphen Family Lineage

Note: Researching Gladys Kitzrow

An obituary from the 3 Oct 1955 issue of the _Waukesha Daily Freeman_ for Glenway Bonniwell mentions his marriage (in Belvidere, IL) on 18 Apr 1936 to Gladys Kitzrow. This obituary also mentions a son, Glenway (Jr.) and a daughter Betty Ann. Both Glenway Sr. and Gladys are buried in La Belle Cemetery in Oconomowoc (WI), while Glenway Jr. died in Ocala, FL and has no cemetery listed on FindaGrave.

In the 1920 US Census record for Henry and Helen (Stargard) Kitzrow's household, included are 17-year-old daughter Laura, 30-year-old son Charles and his 27-year-old wife Mary, and 3-year-old daughter Gladys. Since both Henry and Helen were in their mid-50s at this point, I have assumed that Gladys was an adopted daughter; I have not confirmed this as of yet. It is also possible that she was a grand-daughter that they raised as their own child.

Gladys was also not resident with Henry and Helen in the 1930 or 1940 US Census listing for their household in Milwaukee, instead living in 1930 with Raymond and Marie Postle (listed as a stepdaughter), and by 1940 was married to Glenway Bonniwell; both residences were in Oconomowoc.

ADDENDUM: The obituary for Ernest Kitzrow names Gladys Bonniwell as his niece; I've speculated at this point that she was the daughter of Arthur Kitzrow, who appears to have died in 1918 and whose 1917 WWI draft card says he has a wife and child. I don't know what happened to Arthur or his spouse at this point, but assuming she died as well, it would explain better how Henry and Helena Kitzrow suddenly wound up with a three-year-old "daughter" in their household while in their fifties.

Further cementing this possibility is that it now seems likely that the Mary Kitzrow listed in the 1920 US Census record for Henry and Helen Kitzrow's household is not the wife of Charles, but the widow of Arthur and the mother of Gladys. This would explain how Gladys is present in a the Postle household as a step-daughter, with Ray Postle as the head of household and a Mary (later given as Marie) Postle as his wife.

Marie and Raymond are found living with their daughter Virginia in the 1940 US Census, and are buried in La Belle Cemetery in Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin.

The obituary for Virginia Ruth (Postle) Gosa names Gladys Bonniwell as a sister preceding her in death.

[Obituary for Gladys Bonniwell, from the Oconomowoc Enterprise, 5 Apr 2001.]

Gladys Bonniwell, 84, of Oconomowoc, passed away April 2 at Beverly Terrace Health Center in Watertown.

She was born June 2, 1916, in Oconomowoc, daughter of Arthur Kitzrow and Marie Knopp. In 1936, she married Glenway Bonniwell in Illinois and worked as a homemaker.

She is survived by her children, Betty (Robert) Morgan, Oconomowoc, and Glen (Cindy) Bonniwell, Ocala, Fla.; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and one sister, Virginia (Eugene) Gosa, Lady Lake, Fla.

She was preceded in death by her husband.

Funeral services will be held at noon April 7 at Schmidt & Bartelt Notbohm-Kreutzmann Funeral Home. The Rev. Stephen Welsh will officiate. Burial will be at La Belle Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, prior to the funeral service at the funeral home.

Memorials made to the donor's choice are appreciated.

The Schmidt & Bartelt Notbohm-Kreutzmann Funeral Home, 121 S. Cross St., Oconomowoc, is serving the family.