Obit: Berger, Charles (1865 - 1953)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Berger, Heagle

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 09/24/1953

Berger, Charles (22 AUG 1865 - 17 SEP 1953)

One of the oldest and most respected residents of the village of Withee (Clark Co., Wis.), Charles Berger, passed away at his home in the village late Thursday evening, Sept. 17^th, 1953, after an illness of about six weeks.  Even though he had been in failing health the past several weeks he retained consciousness up until the time of his death, and visited with his family previous to turning on his side to rest while members of the Owen Fire Department were getting things in readiness to moved him from his home to the hospital at Stanley.

He simply turned on his side with ease and slipped away in his own bed and home where he had resided for the past 55 years.  He was 88 years of age.

Funeral services were held on Sunday, Sept. 20, 1953 from the Methodist Church in Withee, of which he was a charter member, with Rev. H. D. Wagner officiating.  Burial was made at Riverside Cemetery.  Serving as pallbearers were Viggo Rasmussen, Frank Klein, Harold Tietsch, Carl Petersen, Lucas Bowen and Otto Hikola.  Honorary pallbearers were Herman Bartholmay, John Zasoba, George Funk, A. R. Martin, Theodore Alberts and William Picus.

Those in charge of the floral offerings were Mrs. Fred Sorenson, Mrs. Harold Tietsch, Mrs. Einar Larsen, Mrs. Lucius Bowen, and Mrs. Clifford Smith.

Carl L. Berger was born on Aug. 22, 1865 in Vienna, Austria.  When he was a young man of 10 years of age he came to this country, settling in Clark County in the Withee community.  He adapted himself readily in the community, becoming a civic and religious leader that saw and aided in the development of the village and the erection of the Methodist Church.  His first employment in the community was as a section foreman on the Wis. Central Railway until he left this position to enter business in what was known as the Withee Lumber Fuel Co., as its manager.  Later he was associated with the Berger and Stevenson Garage until his retirement in 1940.

In addition to his devotion and work in the church he was a charter member of the Odd Fellow Lodge, the Rebecca Lodge and the Modern Woodman’s Lodge.  Meanwhile he faithfully served the village as its fire chief for over 40 years and also as village treasurer for several terms.

He is survived by his wife, the former Ella Heagle of Thorp, to whom he was united in marriage on Oct. 24, 1900 at Thorp; one son, Rudolph L. Berger, Appleton, and one granddaughter, Donna Gale Berger of Chicago, Ill.

Among the relatives and friends from out of town that attended the final rites were Mr. and Mrs. R. L. berger and Mr. and Mrs. O. Fredericks, Appleton; Donna Gale Berger, Chciago, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Guy Heagle, Minneapolis, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Walter Fults, Edwin Fults, Mr. Mrs. J. Bowen and Mr. and Mrs. C. Smith, Abbotsford; Mr. and Mrs. L. Bevens, Mrs. Bevens, Mr. and Mrs. C. Flora, Mr. and Mrs. Heagle and Mr. and Mrs. J. Fults, Stanley; Mr. and Mrs. A. Heagle, Gilman; Mr. and Mrs. A. Cook and Mrs. L. Rusch, Thorp; Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Huestad, Wis. Dells; Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Kleckner, Chippewa Falls; Mr. and Mrs. F. Kline and Mr. and Mrs. Holloway, Loyal, and the Earl Heagle family of Seymour, Wis.