Obit: Becken, Percy (1921 - 1942)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Becken, Goetsch, Whitlinger, Lulloff, Sommers, Meyers, Tesmer, Bahr, Miller, Knutson, Schauer

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 02/05/1942

Becken, Percy (3 Oct. 1921 - 4 Feb. 1942)

Percy Becken of the town of Green Grove shot himself through the chest with a twenty-two rifle Wednesday afternoon at about 2:00 o’clock. It seems he was on his way to a woods near his home and was crawling through a fence when his rifle was discharged which proved fatal to the young man, age 20. According to all indications, the discharge of the rifle was accidental.

The body was found by a school girl who then went to her teacher and reported that she thought a man was lying under the fence. Upon investigation, the body was found and authorities were notified.

Funeral arrangements have not been made as we go to press this Thursday morning.

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 02/12/1942

Funeral services for Percy Becken, who was instantly killed when the gun he was carrying accidentally discharged while crawling under a fence, were held at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran church at Green Grove Monday afternoon and internment was made in the parish cemetery. Rev. M. C. Goetsch officiated. Pall bearers were Vern Whitlinger, Fred Lulloff, Vern Sommers, Herb Meyers, Jr., Bernard Tesmer and Norman Bahr.

Mrs. Ted Miller, Miss Nadine Knutson and Mr. Eric Schauer sang "Come Unto Me" and "Blessed Hope."

The victim was born on October 3, 1921, in the town of Green Grove, Clark county, and graduated from the Colby, Wis. High School in 1939. He was employed in national defense work in Chicago and was home on a vacation. Surviving are his parents and six sisters and a brother - Gloria, Lamira, Joyce, Jacinta, Darlene, June and Holver.

His sister, Joyce, was accidentally injured last Thanksgiving Day at her home with the same gun, the shot causing a facial injury. An examination of the gun by the coroner disclosed that the safety bolt was defective.