It was the custom of that time to name children for relatives living and dead as a means of their memories living on into the future; both male and female. Caroline was the name of Adelheida's sister. Could Clara and Augusta be the names of mother, aunt or grandmother? Only finding those records will answer that question.
She was born December 8, 1895 at the farm near Saxton Station, Buchanan County, MO and the 23rd christening that year at St. Paul December 14, 1895. Ernestine Zielke, Edward Retzlau were her sponsors.
![file:///C:/Users/Public/Documents/My Web Sites/kerberkousins.name/familytree/images/clara2a%20Medium%20Web%20view[1].jpg](images/clara2a%2520Medium%2520Web%2520view[1].jpg)
I love this picture of Aunt Clara. She looks
to be about 12.![file:///C:/Users/Public/Documents/My Web Sites/kerberkousins.name/familytree/images/ClaraWedding1%20Medium%20Web%20view[1].jpg](images/ClaraWedding1%2520Medium%2520Web%2520view[1].jpg)
The entry in her bible
gave the date and "To the Great Hon Charles." ![file:///C:/Users/Public/Documents/My Web Sites/kerberkousins.name/familytree/images/Clara1medview[1].jpg](images/Clara1medview[1].jpg)
Clara maybe in her late 20sby Janet Barker, Staff Writer
Clara A. Conner was known in Torrance as a woman you could count on. She was there when the Torrance YWCA needed someone to head its building fund committee. She was one of the first supporters of Little Company of Mary Hospital, lending both financial aid and volunteer brawn to the Catholic Medical Center.
She was also there when her husband, Earl, a former Torrance mayor and postmaster, died in 1949. She took over his job at the post office and served as post mistress of the city from 1950 to 1965.
Conner was known for her feistiness and caring, died Tuesday at the age of 90. Until last year, when she broker her hip and moved to a Sun City Convalescent Home where she could be closer to her niece, Conner remained active in community affairs. "She had to be a fighter all of her life," said her niece, Ruth (Kerber) Spizzy. "She was a fighter right up until the end."
Conner was born Clara Kerber in St. Joseph, MO on Dec 8, 1895. She and her husband moved to Torrance in the 1920s and immediately became involved in city politics. Earl Conner was a city councilman from 1927 to 1928 and became mayor in 1933.
Connor, who had no children became as involved in civic affairs as her husband. She became a member of the Rebekah Lodge, Eastern Star, White Shrine, and was active in the Red Cross and both the YMCA and YWCA. She always thought of Torrance as an extended family, especially after her husband died, said Spizzy.
For her devotion to the community, Torrance honored her with the Good Neighbor of the Year" award. Last year Little Company of Mary presented her with a plaque for her 25 years of support. "She was always volunteering and always very active at the hospital," said hospital spokeswoman, Pat Cagnetto, who remembers Conner as a "very feisty lady".
Spizzy, said of her aunt, "She could be a devil as well as an angel. She could be a tough woman as well as someone you could turn to in time of need." Torrance Postmaster, Richard Begole said Conners had a reputation as a, "stern, but fair lady". "She insisted that everyone pull their own weight," he said.
A member of First Lutheran Church of Torrance, Conner was an avid church-goer until she got ill last year and was considered a powerful voice in the church, said her Pastor, the Rev. William J. Roleder. "She was always very vocal. No one ever had to guess how Clara felt." Roleder said. Roleder said Conner was one of the last of the "old guard" activates in the city and will long be regarded as one of "of the great citizens of Torrance."
Conner is survived by six nieces, four nephews and a sister-in-law. Funeral services will be at 1p.m. Friday at the Halverson, Stone & Myers Mortuary Chapel, Torrance. Burial will follow at Roosevelt Cemetery in Gardena.