JOSEPH J REICHERT
Well Known and Respected Citizen of Osgood, Died Suddenly

Unannounced on Sunday evening, June 5, the death messenger visited a home in Coldwater and removed a citizen of wide reputation. With the suddenness of the stroke of the iron tongue against the circle of the silver toned bell the life of Mr Joseph J Reichert was closed on Sunday afternoon. The death of this prominent citizen occurred at the home of his daughter, Mrs Andrew Lefeld, who resides at Coldwater, and the news came to his scores of friends in this locality as a "Thunderbolt from a clear sky." He had gone to visit with his daughter and family for that afternoon in this usual good health and ate a hearty supper at six o'clock and about seven he took suddenly ill with uremic poisoning which caused his death within an hour.
Mr Reichert's age was seventy-four years, eight months and fourteen days and during that time he moved among the people in various sections of the country in a position that kept him constantly before the scrutinizing eye of the general public. Primarily his time was spent as a school teacher and while acting in that capacity he was instrumental in starting many young people in that way of life that gave them the proper sort of impetus and was the potent factor in bringing ultimate success.
He was born on a farm at Maria Stein on Sept 21, 1846, and attended school in that village. At that day there were not nearly as many people to enter into the struggle to acquire an education as now, but Mr Reichert was one of the comparatively few who saw the advantage of taking this course and he prepared himself for a line of future work that gave him a distant place in the public affairs later. He attended school several years at the St Charles Seminary at Carthagena, which at that time also had a course in Normal school training.
His first experience as a teacher was gotten in the old log school house two miles south of Cassella and the teaching profession appealed so strongly to him that he continued in that line for thirty-two years in the sections of the country where he started. During this long period he was employed as teacher at Maria Stein, St Joe, St Rosa, Sebastian and Chickasaw and his labors were fruitful for good in every instance. At the end of this period he moved to Dresden, Kansas, where he resided for eight years and where he also gave the people there the benefit of his training as teacher and organist. He was known far and wide as one of the best organists of his time. He was a member of the Board of School Examiners of Mercer county for two terms which verifies the fact that he was also one of the most able teachers of his time.
In 1906 he decided to move to Osgood and there his strong hand was felt in the organization of St Nicolas Parish, which is one of the most active Catholic congregations in this section today. He was mayor of the village of Osgood for two terms and was a member of the village council for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs Philomena Reichert, to whom he was married on June 7, 1870, and they had the unusual pleasure of celebration their golden wedding last year. One sister, Sister Regina, C.PP.S., is stationed at New Reigel. Besides these relatives there are nine children: Five sons - Ferd J, who resides on a large farm at Dresden, Kansas; Aug J, who is cashier of the Osgood State Bank at Osgood; Albert M, who is a machinist at Dayton; S J, who is a teacher of chemistry at Notre Dame, Indiana, and John B, who has finished his eighth year in the studies for priesthood at Mt St Marys Seminary, Cincinnati. Four daughters - Magdalena, at home; Ernestine, of Dayton, Mrs Andrew Lefeld, of Coldwaer, and Mrs Chas J Stueve, of Osgood.
The funeral services were held at nine o'clock on Thursday morning of last week in the St Nicholas church. Interment was in St Martin's cemetery. It was the largest attendance at any funeral held here. He was a member of the Men's Society, which body met the corpse at the home and accompanied same to the church. Four sons and two sons-in-law acted as pall bearers.
Mrs J J Reichert and family wish to express their thanks and appreciation for the assistance given them during their sad hour of bereavement, especially to the neighbors who so faithfully assisted, to Rev L M Bergheger for his consoling words and visits, to Rev B H Franzer and Rev Philemon Notheis for attending the funeral and Undertaker Wm P Meyer, who conducted the funeral, and also all donors of autos for conveyance to cemetery.
OBITUARY, The Coldwater Chronicle, 5 Jun 1921 [courtesy of Jim Dell]