Obit: Zawadzki, Regina #2 (1905? - 1954)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Zawadzki, Pitula

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 01/28/1954

Zawadzki, Regina #2 (1905? - 23 JAN 1954)

A town of Warner (Clark Co., Wis.) couple lost their lives when their car crashed into a farm tractor 2 miles north of Greenwood on Highway 73 late Saturday afternoon.

The dead are Edward Zawadzki, about 53, rural route 1, Owen, who died instantly of a broken neck, and his wife Regina, about 48, who died at 10 p.m. Saturday at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield.  She suffered a concussion, crushed chest, fractured right leg, broken left arm and face lacerations.

Francis Herr, about 40, Greenwood, operator of the tractor, escaped with minor cuts caused by glass from the windshield of the car.

The impact tossed him onto the hood of the Zawadzki vehicle.  He was carried some distance on the hood, then slipped off the left side of the car and was dragged along the highway.  Herr was treated by a Greenwood physician and released.

The traffic death were the first in Clark County this year.

John Bergemann, Neillsville, county coroner, said that an inquest would be held, probably late this week.  He impaneled a jury which visited the scene Saturday night.  Jury men, all from the Loyal area, are Albert Witt, Bert Brown, Fred Cox, Joe Bachal, George Zuelke, and Frank Degenhardt.

Sheriff Frank Dobes aid that the fatal crash occurred at 5:20 p.m.  Both vehicles were traveling north about sunset and the tractor was lighted and in its proper lane when the auto crashed squarely into the rear of the farm vehicle.

Bergemann said that the headlights of the car struck the two rear wheels of the tractor.  Neither vehicle overturned.  The front of the auto was badly wrecked but damage to the tractor appeared confined to the rim of the left rear wheel.

Edward Zawadzki was born in Withee and attended a rural school near his home, 10 miles southwest of Withee.

On Sept. 27, 1920 he entered the Navy, serving for two years.  In 1922, upon his discharge from service, he went to Chicago and was employed as a machinist for King Brothers.

He made Chicago his home until 1946, when he moved into Greenwood, settling on a farm 5 ½ miles northeast of here.

His marriage to Regina Pitula, who was born and educated in Chicago, took place in that city in St. Stanislaus’ Church in 1924.

Surviving children are two sons, Edward, Chicago, who arrived in Greenwood Sunday morning, and Gene, serving with the U. S. Army in Korea.

Mr. Zawadzki’s brothers and sisters are Frank, Helen, and Anna, all of Chicago, and John, Walter, Agnes and Sophia of the Owen-Withee vicinity.  His wife’s sister and brothers include Pearl, Francis, and John, Chicago, and Bruno, Garrison, N.D.

Mr. Zawadzki was a member of the Wallis-Hinker Post No. 238 American Legion, and he and his wife were members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Greenwood.