Obit: Kurth, Robert (1866 - 1938)

Contact:  Crystal Wendt

Surnames: Kurth, Longenecker, Sturdevant, Kleckner, Sturdevant, Crockett, Sherman, Winters, Ross, Paulus, Buddenhagen, Ure, Crosby, Zimmerman, Stevens, Schweinler, Wagner, Schroeder, Thayer, Grandt, Handke, Schaldack, Bertrand, Smith, Wilding, Bublitz, Kruger, Heckendorf, Carol, Bartles, Uthmeier, Tillsch, Marquardt, Peters, Dagendash, Slocomb

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thursday, 3 Nov. 1938

Kurth, Robert (16 April 1866 - 1938)

Robert Kurth, 72, Is Buried Here

One of Clark County’s Most Highly Respected Citizens

Hundreds of friends paid last respects to Robert Kurth, 72, one of the county’s best known and most highly respected residents, at funeral services in Neillsville Wednesday afternoon.

Death came unexpectedly at his North Grand avenue home about 3 a.m. Monday. A few members of his immediate family were at Mr. Kurth’s bedside when he died. Mr. Kurth had appeared daily for work at his oil company office, and had been feeling fit up to the time of his death, which was attributed to a heart attack.

He had suffered a slight heart attack some time ago, but it was not considered serious at that time.

The funeral services were conducted by the Clark County chapter of the Loyal Order of Moose, chapter No. 1602, of which he was a charter member. The lodge was organized in Neillsville on February 4, 1915, and he served many years as a trustee and member of the auditing committee of the organization.

An ardent and active member of the Moose, Mr. Kurth - known affectionately by young and old alike as "Bob" - joined the Legion of the Moose, the second degree organization, in 1931. In 1933 his active interest and service to the group was recognized when the Fellowship degree, an honorary degree, was bestowed on him.

The Rev. G. W. Longenecker was in charge of the services, and burial was held in the Neillsville cemetery. Moose rites were read by Past Dictators C. R. Sturdevant and Everett L. Kleckner. Mr. Kleckner, also gave the history of Mr. Kurth’s lodge affiliations.

The 17 surviving charter members of the Moose chapter acted as honorary pallbearers. They are: C. R. Sturdevant, E. L. Klencker, Ora Crockett, Alfred Sherman, Thomas Winters, David Ross, James Paulus, Blutcher Paulus, Elmer Buddenhagen, George Ure, Judge Emery W. Crosby, George Zimmerman, William Stevens, F. W. Schweinler, Herman Wagner of Chippewa Falls, Edward Schroeder of Granton, and William Thayer.

Besides being active in the Moose organization, Mr. Kurth was a long-time member of the Kiwanis club and belonged to the Marshfield chapter of the Elks.

During his long life in Clark County, Mr. Kurth was identified with many business interests. Since 1915 he has been active in the Kurth Oil Co., which he founded. He also was active in civic and political affairs, and served as Neillsville City alderman, member of the county board of supervisors and member of the election board for many years.

Born April 16, 1866, in West Bend, Mr. Kurth was the son of Charles and Wilhelmina (Grandt) Kurth. He spent his early childhood in West Ben, and in 1873 came to Clark County with his mother and three other children. They settled on a farm in Grant Township, where his father previously had come to prepare a home for them. During the remainder of his early years Mr. Kurth attended public schools and aided in farm work.

In those days lumbering was one of the principal industries of the district, so it was natural that young Kurth should turn to lumbering. He drove teams in lumber camps for 16 winters, continuing in the open season to help with work on the farm.

In 1893 he purchased 79 acres of partially improved land. A few years later he added 80 acres of his holdings. Mr. Kurth sold the farm in 1910 and moved to Neillsville, where he remained a resident until his death. For 12 years he was successfully engaged as a dealer in stock, hay and grain. He was the principal cog in the founding of the Neillsville Canning Co., which was incorporated with a capital of $15,000 and for a time served as president and active manager.

In 1903, before moving to Neillsville, he assisted in organizing the Granton State Bank.

Mr. Kurth’s public life started in 1??? [year blurred], when he was elected clerk of the school district No. 5, an office he held for 17 years. For 10 of these years he also was treasurer of Grant Township, and in 1906 he served as county treasurer.

On February 25, 1893, Mr. Kurth was married to Pauline Handke, daughter of Ernest and Amelia (Schaldack) Handke, who survives him. Other survivors of the immediate family include: three daughters, Hilda, at home, Mrs. Leona Bertrand of Stillwater, Okla., and Mrs. Dorothy Smith of Neillsville; a son, Louis W. Kurth, Neillsville postmaster; a brother, Will Kurth, of the town of Grant; a sister, Mrs. Anna Wilding, of Hawthorne, Calif.

Other relatives surviving are: Jeanne and Roberta Kurth and Jerry Smith, grandchildren: Mr. and Mrs. August Bublitz and daughter, Hilda, Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Kruger, Mr. and Mrs. Gerhardt Heckendorf and Mrs. Bertha Carol, all of Milwaukee; Mrs. Henry Kurth and Mr. and Mrs. Bartles of West Bend, Mrs. William Uthmeier, Billy Uthmeier, Herman Tillsch and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Grandt of Marshfield; Herman Schaldach and son, Fritz, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Marquardt and son, Otto, Elmer Peters, Fred Schaldach, Jr.; Mrs. Elmer Schaldach and Mr. and Mrs. Peter Dagendash, all of LaCrosse; Mr. and Mrs. Ira Slocomb of Menomonie; and Fred Handke and Carl Handke of Wild Rose.