Surnames: Kapke, Kurth, Hobbs, Dwyer, Holte, Plopper, Johnson, Chapman, Ban Norman, Boyce, Lynch

----Source: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 4 May 1933

Kapke, Charles (5 July 1878 - 26 April 1933)

The people of this community were greatly grieved on receiving the announcement that Charles Kapke had passed away at a hospital in Milwaukee on Wednesday evening, April 26, three days after a surgical operation.

He and his wife had driven from their home at Crandon and were visiting relatives in Milwaukee, and he was there taken very ill with an attack of appendicitis.

The best surgical aid was summoned, but the disease had made such progress that the operation was too late.

Charles Kapke was born at Hingham, Wis., July 15, 1878, the son of Martin and Amelia Kapke. Before he was three years of age, he came with his parents to Neillsville, and grew to manhood here.

In 1904 he began work here for the Badger State Telephone and Telegraph Company and continued in its employ until 1923, when he went to Crandon and bought a large interest: in the telephone system there, taking over its active management, continuing in this work until his death.

In his contact with people, during the years he spent here he made a wide circle of friends. He was efficient in his work, friendly and accommodating, and both socially and in a business way made friends readily. From all reports that have come from his activities at Crandon, he has there built up the same friendly relations with the people of that community.

Mr. Kapke was married in 1905 to Miss Clara Kurth of Neillsville. She died in October, 1918.

In 1920 he was united in married with Mrs. Irene Hobbs of Neillsville, who survives him.

He leaves one daughter by his first marriage, Miss Marie Kapke, and a step-son, Gordon Hobbs, both students in Whitewater State Teachers College. He leaves also his aged mother and two sisters, Mrs. Frank Dwyer and Mrs. C. Holte, all of Neillsville.

Mr. Kapke was a member of the Masonic lodge.

Funeral services was held at the Neillsville Masonic Temple, Saturday afternoon under the auspices of the local lodge, and burial took place in Neillsville Cemetery.

Rev. Ben. Plopper, pastor of the M. E. Church at Shawano, preached the funeral sermon.

Relatives from away who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kapke and daughter Ethel, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Johnson, Mrs. Mary Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Milo Chapman, all of Milwaukee; Mrs. Emma Van Norman of Waupaca; Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Boyce of Embarrass; Miss Dorothy Lynch of Barron; besides these were twenty friends and neighbors from Crandon and about the same number from various other places in the state.