Cecelia Veronica Lockman was born on Sun. Jan. 19, 1913 at 11:00 PM in Butterfield, MN. She was delivered by her father, Henry.
According to her birth record in the Watonwan birth Index, her name was spelled "Sizilia Lackman" and her mother's name was "Lena Schmith". Her parents ages were listed as Henry - 55 and Lena - 41.
She was baptized on Sun. May 11, 1913 at St. James Catholic Church, St. James, MN by Father John Meyers. Her Godparents were John Blaha and Anna (Spitzner) Blaha.
Anna, Cecelia's sister told her that after Cecelia was born, Anna was holding her when the ghost of one their mother's sisters appeared in front of Anna and looked down to see baby Cecelia, then disappeared !
Mom was very proud of her name and when asked what her name was, she always said, Cecelia Veronica!
The Lockman family moved to a farm just east of North Branch, MN when Cecelia was approx. 5 years old. Then they moved to the west side of North Branch.
Cecelia went to (Pierce) School in North Branch, MN up to grade 7. She received her First Communion and Confirmation at the Catholic Church in Rush City, MN. Cecelia's confirmation name was Catherine.
Cecelia remembered that when she was small, they grew cucumbers that, after they were picked, she and her father would drive to town and sell them to the Gedney Pickle Company.
She also remembered that while bringing her father his lunch out in the field where he was working, a bad storm started nearing. She ran back home where the storm turned into an "electric" storm, and that she was so scared that she hid behind a door!
In 1926, when she was 12 or 13, the family moved to St. Paul, where they lived at 918 Hastings Ave. (Old Hudson Road), Then to Sims St., and lastly to 922 E. Minnehaha, where the family lived until her father, Henry, died in 1937.
Cecelia went to the "old" Harding High School on Earl St., in St. Paul, MN for the eighth grade. Then, at age 14, she had to go to work at the Ramers Candy Co. to help support the family. She worked there a short time, then worked at the McMurrey Candy Co. until she was approximately 19 years old.
Then she did housework for the Kleiter family until at age 21, she married Edward J. Reller. They were originally married before a Justice of the Peace on Thurs. Dec. 20, 1934. The two witnesses were Ben and Lil Reller, who were newly married themselves. Edward was 29 and Cecelia was 21 yr. old.
Their marriage was blessed on Thurs. May 2, 1935, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, St. Paul, MN by Father Justinian Kugler O.F.M. The witnesses were Richard Kiemen and Brother Samuel Rieschel.
They had six children during their long marriage: Patricia Anne, Edward John, Jr., James Joseph, Carol Jean, Sharon Anne and Michael Anthony.
On her birthday in 1985, at the age of 72, Cecelia fell and broke her left hip while at her son, Jim, and his family's home. She recovered from hip replacement surgery very quickly. The doctor told her he had never seen a person heal so fast. She had no trouble walking.
In 1987, she was diagnosed with retinal epilatrophy. In 1996, she was diagnosed with macular degeneration which causes a person to lose their foreword vision, but not the peripheral vision.
On July 27, 1999, at the age of 86, she fell and broke her right hip. She needed to be put into a nursing home for a short time for physical therapy before she could return home. During her stay there, she never did get her strength back because they had her either in bed or in a wheelchair. When she got home, she needed to use a walker to get round. Also, during this time her ability to hear got progressively worse. With her vision and hearing deteriorating, she just mainly sat in her chair in the living room.
In Nov. 2000, Cecelia needed to be placed in the Maplewood Care Center Nursing home 1900 Sherron Maplewood, MN because her oldest daughter, Pat could no longer care for her.
Cecelia died on Sat. Feb. 17, 2001 at around 11:15 PM. Cause of death was listed as natural causes.
Funeral mass was held on Feb. 22, 2001 at 10:00 AM in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, St. Paul, MN with Fr. John O.F.M. presiding. Burial was at Resurrection Cemetery.
Pallbearers were grandsons: Scott Reller, Mark Reller, David Reller, Bryan Mosner, Joe Reller and great-grandson Bob Borman.
Arrangements were made through Mueller Mortuary 835 Johnson Parkway, St. Paul, MN.

Information supplied by myself.