Mathilde Erwin

Mrs. Erwin Dies Friday; Services Are Held Tuesday

Mrs. C. W. Erwin, 75, a Lusk resident since 1924, died about 8:00 a.m. Memorial Day in Rochester, Minn. of a stroke.

Mrs. Erwin had undergone an operation the previous week and was showing excellent recovery. She had been discharged from the hospital and was convalescing in a Rochester hotel. The stroke is not associated with the operation. She died in the company of her daughter, Mrs. Wood Fanning of Laramie, and was dressing for breakfast at the time.

Funeral services were held from the Peet Chapel at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday with Rev. Theodore Foster, rector of St. George's Episcopal Church, presiding. Mrs. J. P. Watson was organist. W. D. Miller, Carl Lund, George Gibson, Everette Brooks, Dick Pfister, and George L. Miller were active pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Ed Arnold, Henry Petz, T. A. Godfrey, Lem Joiner, Art Joss, and Roy Chamberlain.

Mrs. Erwin, nee Mathilde Skyberg, was the third daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. Peder O. Skyberg and was born on a homestead near Hills, Minn. July 27, 1882. She was baptised in the Lutheran Church a month later. When she was but six weeks old the family moved to Luverne, Minn., and it was there that she spent her childhood days and attended the public schools.

Later she attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and studied in the Nebraska Conservatory of Music, a student of Clemens Movious. In 1903 she studied voice under D. A. Clippinger at Kimball Hall in Chicago. Following this formal education she did recital, concert, and church music in Luverne and surrounding communities.

July 12, 1905 she and Clarence W. Erwin were married. They were the parents of two children, Ruth A., now Mrs. Harold Newton of Sheridan, and Virginia A., now Mrs. Wood Fanning of Laramie. At the time of their marriage Mr. Erwin was cashier of the Citizens Saving Bank of Omaha. In 1912 the Erwin family moved to Worland where he purchased the controlling interest in the First National Bank of Worland.

The Erwin family came to Lusk in 1924 where he organized the Lusk State Bank.

Mrs. Erwin was confirmed in St. George's Episcopal Church in May, 1925 and ever since has been a faithful worker in the church as well as an active worker in the Guild. She was a member of the Niobrara Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, was a charter member of the Lusk Women's Club, and a member of the Sahida Temple No. 86 of the Daughters of the Nile of Sheridan.

In addition to her husband and daughters she is survived by two brothers and two sisters, Walter O. Skyberg and Mrs. Adeline Rentiro of Chico, Calif., and Mrs. C. W. Walters and Phillip Skyberg of Glendo, Calif.

The brothers and sisters as well as the daughters were here for the services. In addition Otto E. Erwin of Omaha, Mr. Erwin's brother, was here.

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