In Search of the Schulte Line, Part 10: We looked under every rock.

By Part 5 of In Search of the Schulte Line, the Bloodhound Cousins were on the trail looking for death records of Fred and Elizabeth Hebert. We couldn't find them in any of the likely Detroit graveyards, and we couldn't send for death certificates without a date of death. All we had was Evelyn Kerr's list of deceased friends and family, in which she noted that Elizabeth Hebert died in 1963.

Fast-forward to this month, January 2010, when I happened upon the Heberts' passport application. That was the stimulus that launched our research synergy once again and, moments after receiving it, Cheryl handily found what we'd just about given up hope of ever finding, the Heberts' death records. And it was no wonder we hadn't found them before. We were looking on the wrong continent!

Record of Elizabeth Hebert's death in Germany, page 1 of 4
(click to enlarge)

Elizabeth Hebert died February 16, 1963, age 86, at the St. Marien Hospital in Gelsenkirchen-Buer, Germany. The cause of her death was "myeloblast batch resulting from a chronic myeloid leukemia."

And just two weeks later:

Record of Fred Hebert's death in Germany, page 1 of 5
(click to enlarge)

Fred Hebert, age 91, died of "heart muscle defect, sclerosis, senile decay, and bronchitis" at St. Josefsheim, 5 Barbarastr., Gelsenkirchen-Buer.

Both Fred and Elizabeth were interred in the Hauptfriedhof at Gelsenkirchen-Buer, Field 9, WG, Stelle 26.

From these documents, we also learn a fourth passport number (B594629) for the Heberts. It was issued August 4, 1961, probably shortly before they left the U. S. for this final trip to Germany.

Another page indicates they were receiving social security, and gives Fred's number. Yet another page provides Elizabeth's birth date, 23 March 1876, and her maiden name, Schulte, although her parents' names are not given.

It appears the Heberts were living with a nephew, Hermann Koenig, at Hagenstrasse 29 in Gelsenkirchen-Buer. Hermann was probably a brother of Paul and Alfons Koenig. Also mentioned on Fred's record as other known relatives were Elizabeth's sisters, Maria Koenig (same address as Hermann) and Rosina Roeken (sic).

And as usual, these documents have not only answered questions but raised new ones also. Named on both death records are Mr. Charles Hebert and Mrs. Katherine Starauch, identified as son and daughter of the Heberts. My educated guess would be that Charles and Katherine were Fred's children from his first marriage. I haven't yet found any records pertaining to that marriage, so we leave that unanswered for now.

You can view or download a printable copy of all pages of Elizabeth Hebert's death report and Fred Hebert's death report at The Vertical File.