Final Chapter

John had been prone to spells of depression, and had threatened to kill himself over the years. But in 1926, he became truly despondent when Katie, his wife of 31 years, died.

His family now grown and nearly on their own, John placed an ad in Chicago's German-language newspaper, the Abendpost, seeking a wife. He married Margaret Augustin, a widow with two grown children, on 19-Nov-1927 in Chicago. Conflicts between John's children and Margaret were frequent. Those living at home quickly moved out to live with married siblings (except youngest daughter Susan, who was denied this permission).

Prohibition (1920-1933) had devastated the nation's breweries, one of which employed John Jungwirth. But in 1929, the Great Depression hit, and by August, 1932 John Jungwirth joined the 25% of working Americans who had lost their jobs.

John finally succumbed to his own great depression, and hung himself in his Whipple St. basement on 28-Nov-1932, at the age of 57. He feared that he had cancer, and had threatened to jump from a bridge a few weeks earlier. John was buried 1-Dec-1932 at St. Joseph's Cemetery in River Grove, IL, next to Katie.

John's death opened new conflicts between his widow Margaret and his children, and between the children themselves. John left no will, and settling his estate took more than five years. Click here for probate proceedings: Probate documents

At the time of his death, John's name and dates were not carved on the existing tombstone, since the family did not agree as to who could or should pay for it. In 1999, a group of his grandchildren honored John by doing this.

Click here for a partial listing of John's descendants: Jungwirth descendant report