Herman Cobus Pahde

April 22, 1895 - June 4, 1988
PFC US ARMY Company D 55th Engineer Regiment AEF

Herman enlisted, with his friend Harry Hinz, in the U.S. Army in 1917. Pfc. Pahde served with Company D 55th Engineer Regiment AEF. He served overseas for one and a half years in France. Herman moved to Manning in 1916 where he worked for Rober-Wehrmann Company as a window trimmer and salesman.

Wife ---- Alma Elise (Rohr) Pahde December 24, 1897 - April 24, 1988

Herman enlisted at the same time with his friend Harry Hinz. Harry Hinz (upper left) & Herman Pahde (middle back row).

PAHDE'S READY-TO-WEAR AND MILLINERY Manning Centennial Book Herman C. Pahde came to Manning on September 3, 1916, at the age of 21, having been employed by the Rober-Wehrmann Company as window trimmer, card writer and decorator. He had just completed a course in that profession at the Koester School of Decorating in Chicago. One prerequisite for this position at the RoberWehrmann Co., was to be able to speak the German language, which at that time was still being widely spoken in the Manning area. In 1917 he was called into the U.S. military service and served his country overseas for one and a half years, resuming his duties at the Rober-Wehrmann Co., when he returned. The annual style shows which he staged and directed drew crowds from a large area and greatly enhanced and increased that business. In an account of the 1920 style show taken from the Monitor, it states that the show was staged in the Manning opera house with music furnished by the Jentsch orchestra. After opening remarks by Mr. Rober, Mr. Pahde gave his "Hints on Fashions" and what to expect in styles for the coming season. Eleven suit and eleven coat models were introduced by spotlight and then, as Mr. Pahde described each garment, the models walked down a promenade from the stage into the audience and back. Six skirt and waist models were shown along with childrens' apparel, and eleven dress models. In men's wear he presented one young man's outfit, and four models of suits and overcoats. The main feature was the live model drape by Mr. Pahde. Using Miss Dora Ohde as his model, Mr. Pahde took a piece of silk, a few yards of ribbon, some netting, a piece of braid and a good many pins and fashioned a dress in a short time. As the model walked the promenade the dress appeared to have been sewn rather than pinned. All hats shown were by courtesy of the Bon-Ton Millinery. In 1925 he became a co-partner with Peter F. Hansen in the firm of Hansen-Pahde, taking charge of the ready-to-wear, millinery and piece goods. This department grew so rapidly that in 1956 he decided to go into business for himself under the firm name of Pahde's Ready-to-Wear and Millinery which he and his wife operated for nine years. He was married to Alma Rohr in 1921. They have two girls, Mrs. Don Struve (Dorothy) of Fort Dodge and Mrs. Bob Kohnke (Donna) of Fairfax, Virginia. Mr. Pahde retired from business in 1964, but has been kept busy with his hobbies of travel, collecting antiques, refinishing furniture and caning chairs. He has been a life-long member of the Lutheran Church and holds a life membership in the American Legion Emil Ewoldt Post. Hilda Hansen, Ella Schroeder, Nettie Kruse Puck, Dora Ohde, and Katherine Brunnier were models in one of the annual style shows sponsored by the Rober-Wehrmann Company. Herman Pahde supervised the staging, direction, and style selections for the shows.

Funeral services for Herman Cobus Pahde were held Wednesday, June 8, 1988, at 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning, Iowa. Pastor Robert Riggert officiated the service with Fern Jensen as organist and the Zion Lutheran Choir providing the music. Interment was in Manning City Cemetery with Leslie Zabel, Gary Moore, Lyle Arp, Robert Kohnke, Wilbert Zabel, Joseph Anderson, Otis Schultz, and Donald Struve serving as casket-bearers. Military honors were conducted by Emil Ewoldt Post 22 of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3517, Manning, Iowa.

Herman, son of Frank and Mary (Schwing) Pahde, was born April 22, 1895, at Mt. Olive, Illinois. He attended the Lutheran Parochial School and was baptized and confirmed in the Immanuel Lutheran Church at Mt. Olive, Illinois. After graduating from the Mt. Olive School in 1913, he attended the Koester School of Decorating in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1916 he came to Manning, Iowa to work for Rober-Wehrmann Co. as window trimmer and salesman. In 1917 he entered the U.S. military service where he served for 1 1/2 years during World War I in France, resuming his duty at Rober-Wehrmann Co. when he returned.

He was united in marriage with Alma Rohr in 1921. To this union were born two daughters, Dorothy and Donna.

In 1925 Herman became a partner in the Hansen-Pahde firm. After many years in a partnership he went into business for himself in 1956 under the firm name Pahde's Ready-to-Wear, which he and his wife operated for nine years. After they retired from the business they continued to live in Manning until 1984 when they moved to Fort Dodge to live with their daughter, Dorothy.

On November 28, 1987, Herman and his wife returned to Manning where they became residents of the Manning Plaza Nursing Home. Herman died there on Saturday, June 4, 1988, at the age of 93 years, 1 month, and 13 days.

He was preceded in death by his parents; by his wife, Alma, on April 24, 1988; by six brothers: Henry, Frank, Arthur, Ted, Fred, and Edwin Pahde; and by four sisters: Kathie Zabel, Martha Knes, Pauline Brown, and Amanda Jones.

Herman is survived by his daughters, Dorothy and her husband, Donald Struve, of Fort Dodge, and Donna and her husband, Robert Kohnke, of Fairfax, Virginia; by five grandchildren: Mary and her husband, Gary Moore; Julie and her husband, Joe Anderson; Kay Johnston; Scott Kohnke; and David Kohnke; by five great-grandchildren: Jennifer, Jessica and Jocelyn Anderson and Nicholas and Jonathan Moore.

Herman was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church and was a charter member of Emil Ewoldt Post 22 of the American Legion in Manning.