Wordless Wednesday: LIFE Magazine Picture of the Week, 17 Feb 1941

I was playing around last night and typed in the name of my great-grandfather's brother, not really expecting anything new to pop up.  To my surprise I was led to a link to LIFE magazine from 17 Feb 1941:

"PICTURE OF THE WEEK

At noon on Feb. 4 Mrs. Frances Ann Nemitz, 68, was distressed by severe diabetic pains in her legs.  "If I could just get down to the ocean and wade around I'd feel better, I know," she told her daughter.  Her request was a familiar one, for Mrs. Nemitz had long believed that cold salt surf palliated the pain that nagged her.  Her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Garfield M. Berger, agreed to drive her from their home in Oakland, Calif. to Half Moon Bay, 50 miles away.  At 3 p. m., Mrs. Nemitz waded into the Pacific surf.  As she did so, Mrs. Berger snapped her picture with a brownie box camera.  It was the last picture taken of her alive.  The first wave beyond Mrs. Nemitz broke and hissed about her knees.  The next rolled her off her feet, swept her under and out of sight.  It was not till an hour later that the boiling sea tossed her body back up again."  What a sad, sudden death- although, you have to admit that it is somewhat poetic...

Mrs. Nemitz was Frances Ann Parrish, born 13 Jan 1873 in Ohio.  Mrs. Berger was Garfield's third wife, Oma Aretta Nemitz, born 17 Apr 1894 in Kansas and died 13 Apr 1958, Alameda Co., CA.  Garfield Mentor Berger was the brother of my great-grandfather, Gideon Gottlieb Berger.  Garfield was born 20 Sep 1881 in South Bend, St. Joseph, Indiana and died 14 Jan 1964 in Alameda Co., CA.