Obit: Radtke, Carl L. Sr. (1863 - 1936)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: RADTKE BECKER ZELLA

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 13 Feb 1936

Radtke, Carl L. Sr. (26 Apr. 1863 - 11 Feb. 1936)

Carl L. Radtke, Sr., age seventy-two, a prominent farmer of the town of Colby, Wisconsin, committed suicide Tuesday by hanging himself. Shortly before, he went into the barn to see how his son, Carl Jr., was getting along with the work and then went into the garage where he ended his life. Shortly after his father left the barn, Carl went into the house for dinner and was surprised to find that he was not there. They waited for some time and then went to look for him. It was noticed that the garage door, which had been open, was closed, so they thought they would go into the garage but the door was hooked from the inside. When looking through the window, Mrs. Radtke saw that Mr. Radtke had hung himself.

It is believed that despondency was the reason for the rash act as Mr. Radtke underwent an operation at Chippewa Falls last fall and had not been feeling well ever since.

Funeral services will be held at St. John’s Evangelical church Friday afternoon, at 2:00 P.M., Rev. E. Becker officiating, and burial will be made in the Colby cemetery.

The deceased was born in West Prussia, Germany, April 26, 1863, thus reaching the age of seventy-two years, nine months and fifteen days. He came to the United States in 1868 and to Clark county in 1880 and engaged in the business of farming. He was held in high esteem by his neighbors and friends which is testified by the many town offices he held being, on different occasions, town supervisor, town assessor and district school director. He was married to Emma Zella at Colby, Wis., on October 12, 1892, to which union one son, Carl, Jr., was born, who with the deceased’s widow, survive.

The deceased was numbered among our early pioneers and prominent farmers, honest and square in all his dealings and his sudden death came as a shock not only to his family and relatives but to many friends and acquaintances as well. He was a man of generous impulses and never forgot the hospitable ways of the pioneer. He united sound sense with strong convictions which carried him through life at peace with neighbors and friends. He had filled the various relations in life as son, husband, father, brother, friend and neighbor and filled them well. Who can do more?