Surnames: Will, Hildensperger, Beschta, Lakosky, Steinwand, Pierce, Casey, Tennis, Foster, Harry, Pacholke, Woskie, Hardee, Blank

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 12/01/1949

Will, William Jr. (25 Sept. 1880 - 30 Nov. 1949)

William Will, Jr., of Loyal, age 69, formerly of Colby, was killed instantly Wednesday morning at Spencer when the car he was driving was struck by Soo Line Train No. 17. The car was pushed about 208 feet but was not tipped over. Mr. Will suffered a broken neck in the crash. The body was taken to the Lulloff Funeral Home in Colby where it will lie until the time of the funeral.

Mr. Will was on his way to the Spencer Hotel where he had arranged to meet his brothers, Frank and Tony, and then the three had planned on traveling together to Sheboygan to attend funeral services for John Will, an uncle. Frank and Tony went without their brother thinking he failed to remember the appointment.

John Hildensperger, the Marathon county coroner, investigated the accident but found no witnesses to the mishap. He "assumes" the flashing signals were operating correctly as they were working when he arrived at the scene.

Funeral services will be held Saturday morning at 9:30 o’clock at St. Mary’s church, Rev. N. B. Beschta officiating, and internment will be made in the Colby (Colby, Clark Co. Wis.) Cemetery.

Surviving are the deceased’s father, William Will, Sr., two daughters, Mrs. F. Lakosky of Ojus, Fla., and Mrs. Herb Steinwand of Colby, four brothers, Joe of Poynette, Wis., Henry of Libertyville, Ill., Frank and Tony of Colby, two sisters, Mrs. Willard Pierce of Tacoma, Wash., and Nettie Casey of Colby, Wis. There are five grand children and one great grand child.

A complete obituary will be published next week.

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 12/08/1949

Funeral services for William Will, Jr., whose death in a train accident was reported last week, were held Saturday morning at St. Mary’s Catholic church, Rev. N. B. Beschta officiating, and internment was made in the church cemetery. Nephews acted as pall bearers and were Foster Will, Jerome Will, Ralph Will, Neland Will, Donald Will and Bernard Tennis. Flowers were carried by Mrs. Foster Will, Mrs. Jerome Will, Mrs. Ralph Will, Mrs. Neland Will, Mrs. Donald Will and Mary Ann Casey.

Mr. Will was born in the town of Colby on Sept. 25, 1880, thus reaching the age of 69 years, two months and four days. He married Minnie Harry, daughter of Peter and Frances Harry, on August 18, 1903, at St. Mary’s church in Colby, Wis. He was the Standard Oil agent in Colby from 1920 to 1930. He and John Pacholke built the Colby Theatre in 1928 and operated the same until 1936 when they sold the theatre to Frank and Bill Woskie. He moved to Loyal in 1934. He was a member of the Clark County deputy sheriff for many years. Mrs. Will died Feb. 5, 1932.

Surviving are his father, William Will, Sr., of Colby; two daughters, Mrs. Herbert (Margaret) Steinwand of Colby and Mrs. Fred (Frances) Lakosky of Ojus, Florida; five grand children, Ann and Sandra Steinwand of Colby, Mrs. Joe Hardee of Jacksonville, Florida, and Frederic and Mary Lakosky of Ojus, Florida; one great grand child, Dawn Hardee of Jacksonville, Florida; four brothers, Joseph of Poynette, Wis., Henry of Libertyville, Ill., and Frank and Anton of Colby; two sisters, Mrs. W. B. (Mary) Pierce of Tacoma, Wash., and Mrs. Dan (Nettie) Casey of Colby, Wis.

Colby people will remember Mr. Will as a man of an obliging and congenial disposition, friendly in all ways, which made many friends for him which was testified by the large number of floral offerings.

Out of town people here for the funeral were Mrs. Fred Lakosky of Ojus, Florida, Mr. and Mrs. Jos Will of Poynette, Henry Will of Libertyville, Ill., Andrew Will, Sr., and Andrew Will, Jr., of Mellen, Mrs. Cornelius Will and John C. Will of Sheboygan, Mrs. Wm. Blank and Harian Blank of Park Falls, Mary Ann Casey of Appleton, Mr. and Mrs. Foster Will of Owen and Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Will of Loyal.