| Notes |
- South Dakota Births, 1856-1903:
Augusta Helen Leubecher
Female
Cty: Minnehaha
Mother’s name: Augusta Promnitz
Father’s name: George Leubecher
Birth Date: January 16, 1889
Known as "Gussie" until she moved to the state of Washington.
News Article: Argus-Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) 07 Sep 1912, Sat.
"Miss Gussie Leubecher and Miss Sibyl Roberts leave tonight, visiting Seattle, Vancouver, and other coast cities."
News Article: The Oklahoma News (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) 28 Sep 1914, Mon:
"Mr. and Mrs. Herman Leubecher of Sioux Falls, S.D., who arrived here last Thursday from their wedding trip and have been guests of the former's sister, Mrs. John Hommes, will return home tonight. They will be accompanied by their sister, Miss Gussie Leubecher, who has spent the entire spring and summer here."
News Article: Argus-Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) 14 Aug 1916, Mon.:
"Miss Gussie Leubecker has gone to Denver, Colo., on a vacation trip."
South Dakota Marriages, 1905-1949:
Gussie Helen Leubecker, Sioux Falls, Minnehaha, SD
Age: 33
Charles Wakey, Sioux Falls, Minnehaha, SD
Age: 34
Date: Sept. 2, 1922
Clergyman: Wm. J. Proehl, Minister
1905 South Dakota census card: Augusta Elsie Lubecher, Lincoln Cty, Springdale Township, Sioux Falls, age 16, occupation: farmer’s daughter, born in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha, South Dakota, father and mother born in Germany.
1910 Census: listed with parents in Lincoln County, South Dakota as well as the following:
1910 Census: SD: Minnehaha, Sioux Falls:
Leubecker, Gussie, head, 21, single, born in SD, father and mother born in Germany, bookkeeper, bank;
Bruer, Claudia (?) boarder, 37, single, born in Germany, father and mother born in Germany, bookkeeper, hotel.
1920 Census, South Dakota, Minnehaha, Sioux Fall:
Leubecher, Gussie, roomer; female, white, age 29, single, born in South Dakota, father born in Germany, mother born in Germany, working as a teller at a bank. Was a roomer at the residence of Hugo Zimmerman and his wife Amanda.
1940 U.S. Federal Census: Washington, Yakima, Toppenish, 304 No. Chesnut:
Buswell, William J., head, 70, married, born in Iowa, lived in same house 5 years earlier, carpenter, building construction,
Katherine, wife, 63, married, born in Germany, lived in same house 5 years earlier,
Wakey, Helen, sister-in-law, divorced, born in South Dakota, lived 5 yrs ago in Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa, bookeeper, retail ?
Mary A., niece, 16, single, born in Iowa, lived 5 yrs ago in Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa,
Certificate of Marriage, State of Washington, County of Yakima
Performed by a Justice of the Peace, Benton County, Washington
Marriage Date: 15 Aug 1942
Groom: Norman F. Bates, Island County, Washington
Helen Wakey, Yakima County, Washington
Justice of the Peace: W. J. Buswell
Witnesses:
Catharine A. Buswell
Mary Phillips
Washington, Marriage Records, 1865-2004
Benton County
Marriage Date: 21 April 1958
Marriage Place: Prosser, Benton County
Groom: Dr. C. F. Picking, Yakima County
Helen Bates, Snohomish County
Witnesses: Catherine Buswell and Mabel H. Martin
Washington, Marriage Records, 1865-2004
Skagit County
Marriage Date: 2 September 1960
Groom: Hansell Thompson, born in Holton, Kansas, residing in Island County, Washington
Bride: Helen Bates, born in Sioux Falls, SD, residing in Island County.
Witnesses: John Nelsen and Clem Nelson
Obituary: Stanwood/Camano News, July 22, 1981:
“ Helen Bates Thompson:
“Helen Bates Thompson, 92, a long time resident of Camano Island, died Monday, July 20, 1981.
“She was born January 16, 1889, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
“She is survived by her daughter, Mary Norby of Portland, Oregon; four great granddaughters, Laura, Jennifer, Rochelle and Heidi Phillips, and three nieces and a nephew.
“Cremation was followed by inurnment at Acacia Cemetery in Seattle.
“At Mrs. Thompson’s request, no services were held.
“Memorials may be sent to the Camano Island Chapel for Youth Programs.”
Obituary: Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) 22 Jul 1981, Wed.
"Helen Thompson
SEATTLE, Wash. — Helen "Gussie" Leubecher Thompson, 92, of Stanwood, Wash., formerly of Sioux Falls, died Monday at Stanwood.
She was born in Sioux Falls Jan. 16, 1889. Her early life was spent in this area.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Norby, Portland, Ore., and four great-granddaughters.
Burial will be in Seattle."
WILL OF HELEN BATES THOMPSON
I, HELEN BATES THOMPSON, of Stanwood, Washington do hereby declare this to be my Will and revoke all former wills and codicils.
I. FAMILY
I am the widow of Hansell V. Thompson. My only child and daughter is MARY NORBY of Beaverton, Oregon. I have no deceased children.
II. REMAINS
I direct that my remains be cremated and disposed of in accorance with the arrangements made by me during my lifetime.
III. SPECIFIC REQUESTS
I bequeath:
A. To my stepson, VERNON THOMPSON, the sum of $50,000, if he survives me;
B. To the CHILDREN’S ORTHOPEDIC HOSPITAL OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, $20,000;
C. To my niece, HAZEL LOWELL, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, if she survives me, my small diamond ring;
D. To my daughter, MARY NORBY, if she survives me, my large diamond ring and remaining jewelry and personal apparel and effects.
IV. RESIDUE
I give the residue of my estate to those of my hereinafter named relatives on the conditions and in the percentages hereinafter set forth:
A. 35% to my daughter, MARY NORBY, if she survives me, otherwise to my grandchildren, LAURA ANN PHILLIPS and JENNIFER MARIE PHILLIPS, in equal shares or the survivor of them, to the specific exclusion of any other children of Billie Phillips;
B. 15% to my grandchildren LAURA ANN PHILLIPS and JENNIFER MARIE PHILLIPS in equal shares or to the survivor of them, to the specific exclusion of any other children of Billie Phillips;
C. 25% to my niece, HAZEL LOWELL;
D. 5% to my niece, RENE MILLER;
E. 5% to my niece, DOROTHY FLINT;
F. 5% to my niece [sic] REX LEUBECHER;
G. 5% to my niece, ELSIE STROBEL; and
H. 5% to MARVIN MILLER, son of my deceased nephew, Clifford Miller.
V. PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE
I nominate and appoint WINNIFRED EMERSON of Stanwood, Washington, as executrix of my Will; but if for any reason she shall be unable or unwilling so to act, I nominate and appoint OLYMPIC BANK as executor. Either shall act without bond and withthout the intervention of any court except as may be required under the laws of the State of Washington in the case of nonintervention wills. Either shall have full power to sell, convey and encumber,without notice or confirmation, any assets oof my estate, real or personal, at such prices and terms as to my personal representative may seem just, and to mortgage or pledge estate property and to select any part of the estate in satisfaction of any partition of distribution hereunder, in kind, in money or both. Such powers may be exercised whether or not necessary for the administration of my estate.
Dated this 29th day of April 1981.
(signed) Helen Bates Thompson
Probate #81-4-00525-5, Snohomish County, Washington, Everett.
Helen Thompson’s estate distribution as follows:
$15,240 each to Marvin Miller, Rene Miller, Rex Leubecher, Elsie Strobel, and Dorothy Flint;
$45,750 to Laura Ann Phillips and Jennifer Marie Phillips (one sum to both);
$106,680 to Mary Norby;
$76,200 to Hazel Lowell;
$47,000 to Vernon Thompson;
$20,000 to Children’s Orthopedic Hospital
$5,000 to Rochelle Phillips and Heidi Phillips (c/o Mary Norby as Trustee)
TOTAL: $376,830
Addresses of heirs at the time of estate distribution:
Mary Norby
P.O. Box 3842
Portland, OR 97208
Children’s Orthopedic Hospital
4800 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
Rene Miller
2729 58th St. Pl. NW
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Elsie Strobel
1307 E. Main
Mankato, MN 56001
Marvin Miller
1512 Park Ave.
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
Vernon Thompson
7141 18th SW
Seattle, WA 98106
Hazel Lowell
707 S. Menlo Ave.
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Dorothy Flint
4921 Mansfield
Peoria, IL 61614
Rex Leubecher
RR 1, Box 410
Sioux Falls, SD 57101
Laura Ann Phillips and Jennifer Marie Phillips
c/o Marsha Phillips
5460 SW 153rd
Beaverton, OR 97005
Partial contents of letter from Rex Leubecher to Jerry Lowell, postmarked Jan 10, 2003:
“...I can’t help much on the date that Gussie (Helen) married Charles Wakey. You knew she was single in 1920. I suspect it was either 1921 or 1922. Charles Wakey sold pots and pans, a very durable product and famous name brand at that time. He would prepare at someone’s home where the host would have invited several guests for a free meal and made his sales that way. I remember fairly successful. They lived at 3216 Myrtle Street in Sioux City. They adopted Mary from a children’s home in Sioux City not as a baby, maybe 2 or 3 years old. I’m not certain. They divorced in either 1933 or 1934. I bought her car which she stored at Hazel’s with some of her possessions when she moved to Oklahoma with Aunt Bertha. I bouught her car, a 1929 model A coupe in the fall of 1934. Helen was always known as Gussie in Sioux Falls and had worked in a bank here in Sioux Falls until her marriage in Oklahoma. She always went by Helen. I nearly always called her Helen but hard not say Gussie.
I don’t remember the date that Helen went to Washington. In the middle 1930’s our family drove to Toppenish to visit Aunt Kate and Uncle Will. At that time, Helen was still with Aunt Bertha. In 1940 when we mobilized Helen and Mary were at Aunt Kate’s.
Aunt Kate kept a boarding house. She loved people and if some one needed lodging and didn’t have room would have Uncle Will add a room.
Helen met Norman Bates at Aunt Kate’s. After his wife’s death Norman would visit Kate as his wife had been good friends. Helen and Norman moved from Toppenish to Camano Island north of Seattle, where he had lived and had property. Norman had a housekeeper and a gardener on the property. Helen soon had them relieved of their duties saying that was her work! I don’t think that she thought that he was rich. He lived the life of Riley but did much volunteering.
Ruby and I visited them in 1952 when Nancy was just a baby.
Norman was Governor of the Kiwanis District the year that we were there. His duties called for visiting all clubs in his district which was large, including a little of Canada. Helen really enjoyed the traveling and the many dinners that they attended. He introduced me to Kiwanis and we returned home helped start a new club in Soo Falls and have a member ever since.
When Norman died Helen went back to Toppenish and stayed with Kate. She met and married someone in Toppenish which was quickly annulled by his family. All I remember for his health reasons.
After that fiasco she returned to Camano Island to close Norman’s estate. She found out his property was quite valuable. She then married Hansell Thompson whose wife had died previously. They moved to Hansell’s home on the other side of the island. They visited our family once and Ruby and I went to Helen’s 90th birthday party. Hansell was in a care center at that time. Hansel’s wife had traveled extensively and had many unusual collections. Beautiful linens from all over the world from other countries and other valuable sets. Hazel Lowell was Helen’s favorite and received I believe 35% of Helen’s estate.
Mary also was at Helen’s birthday party. She was married to George Norby. We know nothing of Mary’s first husband whether he died or were divorced. Helen’s grandson, Billie Philipps died in an auto accident. We always thought Billie was his first name.”
On the day of Helen's death, her niece, Hazel Lowell, wrote in her diary: "George Norby called to tell us that Aunt Helen passed away this morning. I have lost a dear and valued friend and relative — she was always there when I needed her and I loved her very much."
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Connected Bloodlines
1889 - 1981 (92 years)
