Obit: Henkel, Clarence A. (1924 - 1945)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Henkel, Phipps, Johnson, Elkins, Arts, Hockmuth

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 07/19/1945

Henkel, Clarence A. (4 July 1924 - 15 July 1945)

Three days before he was to receive a commission as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps, Clarence A. Henkel, age 21, a former Central State Teachers’ College student and basketball player, died at the naval hospital at Bethesda, Maryland, on Sunday afternoon, July 15th, at 3:05 p.m., following an illness since June 25th of meningitis.

The young man, who was born on July 4, 1924, the son of the late Edward and Emilie Henkel, in New York City, had lived with his grand parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gust Henkel, at 314 Oak St., Stevens Point, since he was four years old. Mr. and Mrs. Henkel moved to Stevens Point from Colby a year ago. Coincidently, his father, who was in the navy in World War I, died 17 years ago today from an illness acquired while in the service. The young man also was preceded in death by his mother.

Following his graduation from the Colby, Wis. High School in May, 1942, Mr. Henkel entered the State Teachers’ College in Stevens Point in September of the same year. While there, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and on July 1, 1943, began training as a V-12 student at Kalamazoo, Mich. After completing that training and further training at Paris Island, N.C., he entered the United States Marine Corps officer’s Training School at Quantico, Va.

An Eagle Scout, Mr. Henkel was active in band, glee club, forensics, track and basketball while in high school. In addition to playing basketball with the college team, he also played at Kalamazoo. He was declared champion marble player for Marathon county at one time. He was a member of Pine Tree Camp No. 639 Royal Neighbors of America.

Surviving are his grand parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gust Henkel; five aunts, Mrs. A. S. Phipps of Stevens Point, Mrs. A. A. Johnson and Mrs. R. I. Elkins of St. Louis, Mo., Mrs. Russell Arts of La Jolla, Calif., Mrs. Fred Hockmuth of Pelican Lake, Wis.; four uncles, Jack Henkel of Anchorage, Alaska, Lt. Robert S. Henkel of San Diego, Calif., Lt. Wallace Henkel of the Merchant Marine, New York City, and George Henkel, of Fargo, N. Dak.

A military funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at 2:30 at the Methodist church in Colby, Wis. World War I and II veterans and all service men on furlough are asked to meet at the Colby Drug Store at 1:30. The body is expected this Thursday morning and will lie in state at the Lulloff Funeral Home.