Obit: Sitzman, Norman (1928? - 1959)

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Sitzman, Twars, Gianoli

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark Co., Wis.) 11/05/1959

Sitzman, Norman (1928? - 29 Oct. 1959)

The body of Norman (Pete) Sitzman of Stratford, Route 2, age 31, a bachelor, with part of his head blown off, was found in the front seat of his car parked in a secluded spot on the shore of the Eau Pleine River flowage in the town of Green Valley last Thursday night at about 11 o’clock.

Sitzman’s body was found by a brother, Alvin, of Marshfield, age 39, and Joe Twars, age 67, operator of Joe’s Bar in the town of Green Valley.

Members of Sitzman’s family had asked Marshfield police and Marathon county authorities to look for Sitzman earlier in the week. He had failed to show up at home or at the Roddis mill in Marshfield where he worked. Alvin Sitzman walked into Twars bar Thursday night and inquired if he had seen his brother. He also described the dead man’s car.

Twars recalled seeing a car answering the description of Sitzman’s parked on the bank of the flowage. He said he hadn’t gone close to it and thought it belonged to a duck hunter.

Twars and Sitzman went to the car and found the body.

Sitzman was slumped over the wheel. The .16 gauge pump gun was leaning against him.

Sitzman was a hunter and there was considerable hunting equipment in the car.

Louis Gianoli, Marathon county undersheriff said it was possible Sitzman had reached into the back seat of the car for the loaded gun and in bringing it forward had accidentally set it off.

Gianoli quoted relatives as saying Sitzman sometimes spoke of suicide when he was drinking, expressing dissatisfaction with his job.

The officer said he had located persons who saw Sitzman alive up to 5 o’clock last week Tuesday afternoon. They said Sitzman was drinking beer and that his spirits seemed good.