Surnames: Jakel, Hermanson, Steiner

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 10/27/1949

Jakel, Elmer #2 (15 JUN 1916 - 25 OCT 1949)

Funeral services will be conducted from the Evangelical and Reformed Church at Curtiss for Elmer Jakel, 33, who lost his life as a result of an automobile accident early Tuesday morning, at 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 28th. The Rev. Puhlmann will read the final rites with burial to be made in the Pine Hill Cemetery. His body has been lying in state since 10 a.m. today at the Griebenow Funeral Parlors.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jakel, Curtiss, "Jake" as he was so affectionately known by a multitude of friends, was born on his parent’s farm in the Town of Mayville, June 15, 1916. After completing his schooling in the Curtiss school system, Jake turned his attention to his one love, that of sports.

He was a fortunate possessor of an attribute that so few of us are favored with, in having an absorbing personality that upon meeting him, one immediately welcomed him into their realm of friends. His ever prevalent ear to ear grin plus his eagerness to win augmented by a display of true sportsmanship won him the heavyweight championship of the novice class of the Golden Gloves Boxers in Eau Claire in 1938, when he appeared there as an Owen Enterprise entry. Evidence of his popularity wherever he participated is the fact that of more than 100 fighters competing during the four nights, Jake won the "most popular gighter’s trophy."

Then with the advent of the war in 1941, Jake was one of the very first from this community to voluntarily enlist in the service. He entered the Marines with whom her served until January 1946, seeing action at Guadalcanal and New Zealand.

Upon returning home Jake again focused his attention on sports. He entered George Barr’s baseball umpiring school in Florida. Her served as an umpire in the Wis. state League the first half of the 1948 season. Since that time he has been one of the most popular baseball figures in this section of the country as he played with the Curtiss nine in addition to umpiring Cloverbelt and Wis. Valley League games.

Always the target of a lot of verbal abuse that goes with umpiring, Jake could take it and in doing so was a dramatic and colorful figure on the field. He was an idol to youngsters, many of whom have often been hear defending his judgment against that of some bleacherite.

This community is depressed by his sudden death and shares deeply in the loss that his parents and other members of the family are grieved with.

He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jakel, and the following brothers and sisters: Arnold, Milwaukee; Mrs. Elaine Hermanson, Indiana; Mrs. Paul (Lucille) Steiner and Dale, Kingfisher, Okla.; Robert, a student at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Dennis and Beatrice, at home.