South Bend Tribune
Thursday, February 4, 1965
 
 Mrs. Clara E. Birner, 98 died at midnight Wednesday in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Gertrude E. Leer, 1222 Lincoln Way E., with whom she resided. She became ill last Sunday. Born on Nov. 15, 1866, in Terre Coupe, she had spent most of her lifetime in South Bend. For three years she and her husband, Albert Byron Birner, who died in 1897, resided in San Francisco, where he was the manager of the branch office of the Oliver Corp. She also is survived by a granddaughter, Mrs. Katherine Serkes, South Bend, and three great-grandchildren. Friends may call after 7 p.m. today at the Orvis funeral Home, where services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday. Rev. Clair D. Siple, pastor of St. Paul’s Methodist Church, and Dr. John D. Wolf, district superintendent of the Methodist Churches, will officiate. Burial will be in City Cemetery. The oldest living member of St. Paul’s Methodist Church and the Woman’s Society of the church, she also retained the oldest membership at the church, Pallbearers will be F.J. Nimtz, Louis Chreist, Harvey Klockow, Arthur Wertz, William Murray and Clarence Carleton.
 
   *Note: Daughter of Simon Peter Peffley & Eleanor Brown