Mary Anna (Krambeck) Bohnstengel was born Mary 1st, 1867 in Noer, Rendsburg-Eckernforde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. She married Fred Bohnstengel on September 22, 1887, at Rock Island, Illnois. They then moved to the area of Traer and there made their home. Mary and Fred had 8 children: John, Willie (Infant, buried in the Bohnstengel plot in Buckingham Cemetery), William, Roy, Margaret (Maggie), Emma, Louis, and Edward. Fred died February 25th, 1905 at his home in Crystal township. Mary lived 56 years without her husband. Mary died on June 12th, 1961 at the age of 94 years old. Pallbearers were Donald Steffeny, William Posusta, Wesley Schmidt, Ervin Bohnstenge, Eldon Bohnstengel, and Maryln Dengler. Funeral Services were June 15th, 1961 at Erickson Funeral Home.

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Traer Star Clipper, Friday, June 16th, 1961 – page 1
Mr. Mary Bohnstengel, 94 probably the oldest resident in the Traer community died at 10:45 on Monday morning at her home after a long illness Mrs. Bohnstengel had not been out of her home since suffering a stroke in 1919. But recovered sufficiently to enjoy life in her home until late October 2o, when she suffered a hip fracture in a fall. She had been bedfast ever since in the hospital and at home and had received constant devoted care by her children.
Her funeral services were held at the Erickson funeral home yesterday afternoon conducted by the Rev. Alvin Boettcher who was pastor of the Traer Congregational church, 25 years ago and who recently accepted a call to Belle Plaine. He was assisted by the present pastor, Rev. C. Howell Bischoff. Mrs. LeRoy Dinsdale sang, accompanied by Ruth Thomas at the organ. Pall bearers, all nephews of Mrs. Bohnstengel were Donald Steffeny, Wesley Schmidt, Eldon Bohnstengel and William Posusta, all of Traer, Ervin Bohnstengel of Clutier, and Marlyn Dengler of Dysart. Mr. and Mrs. David W. Wilson and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Whannel, neighbors were in charge of flowers.
Mrs. Bohnstengel was born Mary Anne Krambeck, May 1, 1867in Linden, Germany and was nineteen years old when she came to the United States with two brothers and a sister. Their first home in the new country was at Hampton Bluffs, Illinois, A sister who came to America later and lived many years in the Traer community, was the late Mrs. Henry Leethje.
Mary Anne Krambeck was married in 1889 in rick Island, Illinois to Fred Bohnstengel. Shortly after their marriage, Mr. Bohnstengel bought a farm in Crystal township which was the family home more than 50 years, although the husband and father died, February 25, 1905 at the age of 49, the victim of heart disease. Mrs. Bohnstengel, assisted by her children, carried on the farming business many years, and she remained in the home until 1918, when she moved to town when two of her sons were in the Army in World War I. After Mrs. Bohnstengel became a resident of Traer, her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. George Schmidt, operated the home farm seven years Then her son Roy Bohnstengel took over and he and his wife operated it continuously until last December when they moved to a new home that he and his wife built in Traer.
Mrs. Bohnstengel was the mother of eight children, one of whom died in infancy. The daughter, Margaret and son William have lived at home with their mother during all her years in town. The other children are Mrs. George (Emma) Schmidt, and the sons John, Roy and Ed, all of Traer; and Louis of Dysart. Mrs. Bohnstengel also leaves seven grandchildren and thirty-one great grandchildren. A grandson Leo was killed in a highway accident near Waterloo only a few months ago in which his wife also lost her life. They were parents of seven children. Mrs. Bohnstengel was the last member of the Krambeck family. All of her brothers and sisters preceded her in death.