Obit: Peterson, Earl (1907 - 1934)

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Surnames: PETERSON LEADERS SEIDEL MITTELSTEDT BRAUN MOBERG SMITH GIERL HARROP MERWIN SCHRAUFNAGEL BROWN HORN WIBBIN KIETTNER SCHAETZKE STOBB

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 05/24/1934

Peterson, Earl (20 Dec. 1907 - 19 May 1934)

Earl Peterson, aged twenty-six, of Abbotsford was instantly killed at 11 o’clock Saturday night one-half mile east of Abbotsford on highway 29, when he fell from a dump truck used for hauling gravel and driven by Orville Leaders. Leaders was accompanied by Oscar Seidel and Sylvester Mittelstedt and they were on their way to a dance at Riverside in the town of Hull, when they stopped at a filling station and tavern at Abbotsford, Wis. They had seen Peterson at the tavern, but did not notice that he had mounted the truck. After going east one-half mile, Peterson either jumped or fell from the truck, and a wheel passed over his head and left arm, crushing one side of his head, and his arm from the forearm to the shoulder. Leaders felt that he had gone over an obstruction and after stopping his truck, turned around, and investigated. Dr. D. F. Braun, coroner, who was called to Abbotsford for an investigation of the incident, decided that death was entirely accidental and that there would be no inquest.

Peterson was employed at the Harry Moberg farm just within the east city limits of Abbotsford, and, it appears, he intended to go three miles east from Abbotsford on 29 and then walk one-half mile south to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Peterson.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the home of his parents and at 2:00 o’clock at the Presbyterian church at Abbotsford, Rev. L. C. Smith officiating, and internment was made in the Colby cemetery. The pall bearers were: Morris Gierl, Clair Harrop, Harold Merwin, Alphonse Schraufnagel, Richard Brown and Donald Horn. Flower girls were: Anita Wibbin, Elaine Kiettner, Lois Schaetzke and Bernadine Moberg.

The deceased was born in the town of Hull on December twentieth, 1907, and had reached the age of twenty-six years, five months when death so suddenly called him. He had spent his entire life in the community and had attended the Riverside school and both the graded and high school at Colby.

Besides his relatives and numerous friends, he leaves to mourn the members of his immediate family: his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Peterson of Abbotsford, three brothers and three sisters. They are: Lawrence, Phillip, and Ruth living at home and Vernon, Lillian and Mrs. Leo Stobb of Ripon. One brother and one sister have preceded him in death.