Individual Details

the b side by Mike Kent

A blind lady who had a vision . . .

A person may have the ability to see, but it doesn't
necessarily mean that a person has a vision.
Conversely, a person may be without eyesight, but it
doesn't necessarily mean that a person can't have a
vision.
During the latter stage of her life, Anna Folkerts
Husmann's eyesight had deteriorated, but her vision for
helping people was definitely 20-20.
Anna, who died Oct. 17, 1985, at the age of 88, left
behind a large sum of money that's going to be used for
a new scholarship fund to benefit people of all
educational interests. The new "Anna Folkerts
Husmann Scholarship Trust" is designed, according to
her will, "to provide scholarships for persons who are
enrolling for advanced education in a university, college
community college, business college, trade school or
any other educational program that would be considered
advanced education."
The story of Anna Folkerts Husmann is interesting
because she lived such a simple life. Anna never
attended high school and, according to nephew Dan
Stadtmueller, she and her husband, Henry, "lived very
frugally" (eg., they had no hot and cold running water).
Their frugal ways allowed the Husmanns to amass a
small fortune over the years as they lived on their farm
in Scotch Grove Township. They had no children of their
own, which allowed Anna and Henry to build up their
savings even more.
The Husmanns retired from farming in the early 1980s
and moved to Monticello. Henry died in January 1982
and Anna's health began to fail. According to Dan, Anna
had lost her eyesight, but not the clear grasp of her
mental faculties.
"She had a brilliant memory," recalled Dan, who
looked after her aunt. "She could remember dates and
places very well."
It was on March 17, 1984, when Anna made out her
first will, according to her attorney, H. Elvin (AD
Erdahl. "At the time she was totally blind," he said,
"and if she had not made a will, her entire estate
would've gone to her sister (Hattie Stadtmueller)."
However, the Stadtmueller family encouraged Anna to
make out a will and be generous to as many people as
possible. As a result, Anna bequeathed $100,000 to the
Wayne Zion Lutheran Church Council for the purpose of
establishing the Anna Folkerts Husmann Scholarship
Trust. The Wayne Zion Church Council members were
named trustees, and were given responsibility to
determine guidelines and award scholarships.
After bequeathing thousands of additional dollars to a
number of charitable organizations, Anna's will
authorized the balance of her estate to go into the
scholarship trust fund. All told, somewhere between
$200,000 and $250,000 was placed into the fund, with the
scholarships to be drawn from the interest. The
principal amount will never be touched.
"Here was a person totally blind, but because of her
foresight and vision, she's able to provide assistance to
students for an indefinite period," Al stated
philosophically.
He added, "I think the Stadtmueller family is really
happy about this. They're really anxious to see this
commence. It's going to give them all a good feeling,
and I feel good about being involved in something that
will perpetuate itself."
The Stadtmueller family hopes the scholarship trust
will provide assistance to a number of deserving
students in a time when it has become increasingly
difficult to meet education expenses. "I'd like to
visualize it as something that will help offset tuition
increases," Dan said.
Although she was a lady who left this world without
eyesight, Anna Folkerts Husmann gave a vision that's
going to touch the lives of many people for years to
come...

Birth	15 Sep 1897	Jones, Iowa, United States
Marriage	4 Sep 1919	Wayne Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wayne Township, Jones, Iowa, United States - Henry Johnson Husmann
Death	17 Oct 1985	John McDonald Hospital, Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States

Spouse

Henry Johnson Husmann (1895 - 1982)

Father	Jacob Folkerts (1864 - 1909)
Mother	Christina Margaret Husmann (1871 - 1946)
Sibling	Katherine Margaret "Teeny" Folkerts (1894 - 1918)
Sibling	Elville Gerhard Folkerts (1905 - 1905)
Sibling	Hattie Marie Folkerts (1906 - 2002)

Notes