Surnames: Sturner, Lapp

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 10/11/1951

Sturner, John (22 MAR 1880 - 2 OCT 1951)

John Sturner, 71, the man who built the first airport in Rusk County, and a former Curtiss (Clark Co., Wis.) businessman, died suddenly at his home in Bruce Tuesday, Oct. 2, 1951, after a heart attack.

Sturner was born at Lowell, Wis. March 22, 1880. He married Edith Lapp at Curtiss, April 5, 1903. He was employed at Chicago for nine years, after which he went to Dorchester, Wis., where he owned a feed store until 1915. He moved to Curtiss where he ran a store until 1928, when he went to Rusk County.

He entered the resort business in 1928 at Sturgeon resort on the Chippewa River in the town of Washington, Rusk County, which he operated 19 years. During this time he built the first airport in Rusk County. He retired four years ago.

Surviving, besides his wife Edith, are four brothers and three sisters: Ed Sturner, Salt Lake City, Utah; Oscar Sturner and Verna Riplinger, Colby; Emil Sturner, Lowell; Robert Sturner, at home; Arva Sturner, Milwaukee; and Anna Sturner, Wauwatosa.

Funeral services were held Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the McElravy Funeral Home in Ladysmith, and graveside services at Curtiss at 4 p.m.