Obit: Walk, John #2 (1879 - 1952)

Contact: Stan


Surnames: Walk, Kuehling, Degener, Tragsdorf, Olds, Lemke, Braatz, Zillmer

----Source: Greenwood Gleaner (Greenwood, Clark Co., Wis.) (31 Jan 1952)

Walk, John (29 MAY 1879 - 25 JAN 1952)

John (Hans) Walk, 72, one of the first rural mail carriers in Clark County and a man who endeared himself to many, many children over the last thirty years, is dead.

He died last Friday morning at his home in Neillsville after a lingering illness. Burial was made Tuesday afternoon in the Neillsville Cemetery.

The second rural mail carrier to work out of the Neillsville Post Office, Mr. Walk carried route one from Neillsville to Shortville, Kurth's Corners and back to Neillsville along Pleasant Ridge. The 20 mile route was covered by horse and buggy.

He believed in the old time slogan of the post office department that "The mail must go through." Mrs. Henry Braatz of Neillsville, a former patron on his route, recalls that "Hans" never failed. Come blizzard and deep snow, he tethered his horse toa fence post and broke his way on foot through deep drifts to make his deliveries.

Mr. Walk entered the post office service in 1903 and carried until his retirement on June 30, 1935. When, finally the horse and buggy was on its way out, Mr. Walk was the first to retire his horses during the open season. He delivered then by motorcycle. On his retirement, Albert Kuehling took over the route, which has been gradually expanded to cover a 50 mile circle east and south of the city.

Although old-timers remember Has mostly for his mail service, there are hundreds of others who remember more vividly, particularly in his role of Santa's helper -- a role he filled here for the last 30 years of his life. Hans always had a deep love of children and he delighted in them throughout the year, whether wearing his Santa's suit or his blue overalls. The neighborhood children found in him a man who sympathetically repaired their toys and helped them over rough spots.

Born in Jefferson on May 29, 1879, Mr. Walk came to Clark County with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Walk, in 1889. He attended the Neillsville public schoools and then went to work for Albert Degener (now of Neillsville) at his hardware store in Chili. He later affiliated with his brothers in the Walk Brothers Store in Neillsville -- a popular mercantile establishment at the turn of the century.

He was married to the former Emma Tragsdorf in Neillsville on Feb. 16, 1905.

Survivors include five children: Harold Walk, Milwaukee; Oscar Walk, Neillsville; Mrs. Alfred (Marie) Zillmer, Greenwood; Mrs. Durward (Gertrude) Olds, Lexington, Ky.; and Mrs. Wm. (Leona) Lemke, Wausau; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

His wife died Aug. 27, 1947. Others who preceded him in death include his three brothers, Carl, Paul and Rudolph, who died Sept. 6, 1951, and five sisters, who died in infancy.

Services were conducted from the Georgas Funeral home at 1:30 and at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, with the Rev. Alfred Schewe conducting.