Josephine C. Vohnoutka, 1903-1980

• Born: 6 November 1903 (Stanley, Morris, New Jersey)
• Died: 15 January 1980 (Irvington, Essex, New Jersey)
• Parents: Joseph Vohnoutka and Antonette Benesch
• Spouse: Frank Hiebel (md. 26 February 1927 Summit,, New Jersey)
• Children: Doris Hiebel, Lorraine F. Hiebel, Joan Carol Hiebel, Audrey Jean Hiebel, Linda Helen Hiebel

1903 November 6
Born, only daughter and oldest child of Joseph Vohnoutka and Antonette Benesch in Stanley, Morris, New Jersey.  [1]

Josephine with brother, Joseph.

1916 (abt.)
Age 13
Suffers a concussion in a sledding accident and never returned to school.  [2]

29 June 1916

1923 June 27
Age 19
Death of mother, Antonie Benesch Vohnoutka in Chatham, Morris, New Jersey  [3]

1927 February 26
Age 23
Marries Frank Hiebel in Summit, New Jersey.  [4]

Josephine, date and place unknown.

1928 September 21
Age 24
Daughter Doris born in Newark, Essex, New Jersey.  She lives only until October 22. [2]

Josephine with nurse and baby (which one?).

1930 April 7
Age 26
Living in Irvington, Essex, New Jersey with husband, Frank, mother-in-law Rose Hiebel, and cousin John Vohnoutka.  [5]

1930 April 22
Age 26
Daughter Lorraine F. born in Newark, Essex, New Jersey.[2]

1932 April 15
Age 28
Daughter Joan Carol born in Orange, Essex, New Jersey.  Residence:  256 40th St., Irvington, N.J.  [6]

Josephine with Lorraine and Joan, September 1935.

Josephine holding Joan, about 1935

1936 May 13
Age 32
Daughter Audrey Jean born in Irvington, Essex, New Jersey.  [7]

Back: Josephine, Frank, friend holding Audrey
Front:  Joan, Lorraine

1938 January 30
Age 34
Daughter Lorraine dies of Gaucher’s disease.  [8]

1940 April 15
Age 36
Living in Irvington, Essex, New Jersey with husband Frank, and daughters Joan (age 8) and Audrey (age 3), and father, Joseph Vohnoutka, and mother-in-law, Rosalie Hiebel.  [9]

1946 January 30
Age 42
Daughter Linda Helen born in Newark, Essex, New Jersey. [2]

Josephine, about 1960.

1966 July 7
Age 62
Death of father, Joseph Vohnoutka at Irvington, Essex, New Jersey. [10, 11]

Frank and Josephine, date unknown

1980 January 15
Age 76
Dies of bronchial pneumonia and histocytic lymphoma in Irvington, Essex, New Jersey.  [12]

* * *

Memories of daughter, Joan Carol Hiebel Farrier:

"Josephine “Josie” Catherine “Mama” Vohnoutka was the only daughter of Joseph and Nellie. During the summers, Mama was sent to a relative's farm to help with the chores. She told me never to get serious with a farmer. “You don’t know what hard work is until you’re on a farm.” Mama had a concussion in a sledding at the age of 13 and was kept out of school for a year. She didn’t want to return to school and be in the same grade as the 13-year-olds so she didn’t. (I never understood this, because Mama went to a one-room school.) Mama went to work in a factory. When her mother died, her father asked her to stay home and be a homemaker for him and her brother.

"Mama received a great deal of help from Aunt Josie Jackson, my Grandma Nellie’s sister. On one occasion, after Mama’s father and brother complained about not enough salt in their food, Aunt Josie suggested Mama put half a box of salt in at the next meal. Mama did and there were never any complaints again. (Mama told me this story.)

"After Mother and Daddy were married and the children started coming, Mother started a support group. The ladies would meet each week at each other’s home and furnish juice and cookies to all the children. I didn’t realize until I asked my mother how I was related to all these Aunts that I found out only two were related. The others were friends of Mama. We, the kids, called all the ladies “Aunt” out of respect. The ladies’ husbands were our “Uncles.”

"Mama eventually developed severe osteoporosis, fracturing her hip at about 63. The doctors tried to repair the hip, but when they tried the femur shattered. Mama also had rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. Even with all this, when Mama’s friends came to cheer her up, her friends went home feeling better. Mama had cheered them up. (This I heard from her friends.) She died in 1980 at 76 of bronchial pneumonia and histocytic lymphoma."

--Joan Carol Hiebel Farrier
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[1]  NJ Bureau of Vital Statistics birth certificate no. 35728.

[2]  Personal knowledge of daughter Joan Carol Hiebel Farrier.

[3]  Letter from Audrey Hiebel Mann to Joan Hiebel Farrier

[4]  New Jersey Certificate of Marriage - Bureau of Vital Statistics - #393.

[5]  "United States Census, 1930," index and images,  FamilySearch  (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X4DX-QBC : accessed 16 Feb 2013), Frank Hiebel, Irvington, Essex, New Jersey; citing enumeration district (ED) 0449, sheet 7A, family 138, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1330.

[6]  Health Department, Orange, N.J., Certificate of Birth, filed 21 April 1932.

[7]  "United States Social Security Death Index," index,  FamilySearch  (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JR7P-6WB : accessed 16 Feb 2013), Audrey J Mann, 15 July 1999; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

[8]  Town of Irvington New Jersey Record of Death, filed 1/31/38.

[9]  "United States Census, 1940," index and images,  FamilySearch  (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K45Y-C1Q : accessed 16 Feb 2013), Frank Hiebel, Ward 1, Irvington, Irvington Town, Essex, New Jersey, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 7-159A, sheet 6B, family 133, NARA digital publication T627, roll 2334.

[10]  Town of Irvington New Jersey Record of Death, filed 7/8/66

[11]  "United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VMGT-JJF : accessed 08 Nov 2012), Joseph Vohnoutka, July 1966; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

[12]  NJ State Dept. of Health death certificate, no. 06252.