Obit: Holmes, Raymond Carl "Bobbie" (1897 - 1940)

Contact:  Crystal Wendt
Email: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Holmes, Brandstedter

----Sources: Humbird Enterprise (Humbird, Wis.) Sat., 4 May 1940

Holmes, Raymond Carl "Bobbie" (^28 March 1897 - 27 April 1940)

**last Saturday morning when it was learned that Raymond C. Holmes, Fairchild merchant, had shot himself on his mother’s grave in the [Village] Fairchild Cemetery, "Bobbie" as he was generally known, left his home about the usual time Saturday morning, driving down town with his car, calling at a few places. He borrowed a 22 rifle and then drove to the cemetery. A lady living near the cemetery reported that he fired a short into the ground. He returned to his car, presumably after cartridges. Later another shot was heard and this time he had shot himself in the head. An alarm was given and Frank Brandstedter, rural mail carrier, first to reach the scene of the tragedy, found Mr. Holmes yet alive. He was a taken to an Eau Claire Hospital where he died about 3:00 o’clock that afternoon.

Mr. Holmes was a life long resident of Fairchild. He had been engaged with his uncle, Gilbert Holmes, in a store for the past fifteen years, and was formerly manager of the shoe department in the Bit Store.

Surviving are his widow, his father and a sister who reside at Marshfield, and an uncle and aunt at Fairchild. Despondency is said to have been the cause of the act. The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon.

**First part of this article wasn’t available at the time of transcribing.

Birth date taken from the Wis. WW I Draft Registration Cards.