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Note: Blanche was my grandmother. She was born December 18, 1897; her family's' address at that time was 223 Renner Street in Cincinnati. At the time of her first marriage, she was living at 1379 Harrison Avenue. Her first marriage, on May 15, 1917, to Christian John Seiler, ended in divorce, leaving her with two young sons to raise. She subsequently married Frederick C. Rottmueller, to whom she stayed married to the end of his life in 1968. She lived the balance of her life as a widow, although seldom alone. Except for a very brief period in her final years, she always lived with at least one family member.
My father, Joseph A. Seiler's, notes (January 2, 1966) about his mother read as follows:
'I cannot attribute my admiration for some of her qualities to our relationship. She wanted and needed nothing for herself. She seemed destined to help her brothers out of all minor scrapes, care for her mother (Dora Buehler) until she died, assist everyone in every way she could find, including financially, and be happy only when her facilities and faculties had been worn out through exertion. At 5' 3", she weighed about 160 pounds or better most of her mature life and was unusually strong for a woman and with great physical endurance even when elderly. The most patient person I have ever known, and an incurable optimist grateful for the smallest blessings, she had an over-active maternal instinct which caused her to take to her bosom all unfortunates, stray animals, children, and whatever she could nurse, assist, or counsel. She raised her youngest brother (George)'s daughter, Dorothy (also known as Babe), to maturity, took in the son of a friend after the young man was released from prison, used her meager finances to set my brother (Frank Seiler) up with a home under her name after he was first married, and then underwrote another one for him when he failed to properly repair the first.
She regularly visited sick friends, shared all she had with whoever she thought needed it, and seldom repented it even when taken advantage of. Too big-hearted, and willing to self-sacrifice, spoiling her children into indolence seemed to come naturally. Even at this date (see above) she and her husband (Fred) are attempting to bring up the children of my brother Frank, who, though living not too far away, seldom even visits them.
Further, she spent much of her energy in behalf of my children also ( Dale and Joann), for almost throughout married life, it seemed expedient for our two families to live in adjoining apartments in the same home.
Little more can be added to such a person's profile excepting to say that she gave all to everyone, asking nothing for herself in return. And all her life, that is practically what she did get. With a fifth grade education, Blanche was a devout person and followed her Catholic faith to the best of her ability. In later years, after a hard, active life, she became forgetful of small details although no less impulsive in her actions.
A very attractive person in her early life, with views and reputation above reproach, I doubt if she ever had an enemy, although when finally utterly driven to anger, she was capable of making her tormenter regret it. At such times she was utterly fearless.
She operated a confectionary and dry-goods store in the vicinity of Bank and Whiteman streets (in Cincinnati's 'Over-the-Rhine' or 'Mohawk' area) for many years, her second. About 1925 to 1927 she had run the same type of business at 442 W. McMicken Avenue. The first store was while she was still married to my father and was used as an additional source of income; the latter supported her brood after their divorce and during the early years of her second marriage.
She made many friends, and I still receive questions from many of them concerning her health. Further, she never forgot any of the people she knew in earlier years. She always spoke literally and truthfully, and always from her large heart, tempering all with ready forgiveness. Of such materials are saints made...'
My own impressions, culled from the 31 years I knew her, are remarkably similar to my father's. Grandma Rottmueller was the nicest, sweetest person I've ever known. If it had not been for the love and attention she and Fred lavished on me all their lives, my life might have been very different. The happiest years of my youth were spent living with them (and my parents) in the country near New Baltimore, Ohio. Since both my parents worked, Grandma was a major influence in my life. Her many kindnesses cannot even be counted. But she could be very stubborn and unyeilding when she felt principle was involved. Fortunately, those episodes were never directed at me. I could never have stood the thought of being out of her good graces. She had that sort of effect on me.
Most of my memories of her have been written down elsewhere, so I'll not go into great detail except to say that she was a very caring, loving, generous, and forgiving woman to me as long as I knew her. In her later years, after a very painful falling out with my father, she briefly lived alone in a top-floor walkup apartment on Rosedale Avenue, on Cincinnati's west side. Later, she and my sister Joann, as well as my cousin Eddie Seiler and his friend, lived in the upstairs apartment in my first house, at 4201 Eileen Drive in Oakley. After I sold the house, the two of them rented another apartment together a few blocks away, where she lived the remaining year of her life. She died of cancer, but was as upbeat as possible throughout.
The last time I saw her alive was the day before she died, at the Hillenbrand Nursing Home in Cheviot, where she spent her last weeks after the burden of caring for her at home became too much for my sister. Although she was deep in a coma and near death, I sat there holding her hand and saying goodby to the finest woman I'd known to that point in my life. After her death, she was buried next to her beloved 'Fritz' in Arlington Memorial Gardens in Mt. Healthy, Ohio. She left this world with little more than she entered it with, having given all she had to anyone in need all her life. Her final bequests to me were a World War II era Bulova watch which had belonged to Fred, which she had worn since his death in 1968, and a well-worn rosary. I still have them both.
Dale Seiler January 14, 1999
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