Obit: Alexander, Carlyle (1938 - 1956)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Alexander

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 04/26/1956

Alexander, Carlyle (18 MAR 1938 - 21 APR 1956)

This community was stunned Saturday morning when residents awoke to learn of an early morning car crash that cause the instant death of Carlyle Alexander, senior in the Owen-Withee Senior High School, and the 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Alexander, route 1, Owen (Clark Co., Wis.).

Carlyle was returning home from a dance he had attended earlier in the evening at Dorchester and apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his car.  Death came when his vehicle crashed head on into a concrete abutment on Highway 29, two miles west of Abbotsford.

The exact time of the accident hasn’t been determined but must have been between 2:30 and 3:00 a.m.  It was nearly 3:00 a.m. when Dale Bowen and Dale Thompson, both of Curtiss came upon the scene of the accident then notified authorities.

An investigation was made at the scene of the accident of William Nelson, Sheriff Ray Kutsche, county coroner, John Bergemann and Dr. Koch of Colby.  Coroner Bergemann said no inquest would be held.

Carlyle was alone in his car at the time of the accident.

His death was the first highway fatality in Clark County this year.  Less than seven hours later though the second highway fatality was recorded when Donald Wayne Avery, 25, of Cornell, was killed outright in a head on collision with a milk truck west of Thorp.

Carlyle was born March 18, 1938, having resided on his farm home on route 1, Owen, all of his life.  He was only a month away from graduating with the senior class of the Owen-Withee Senior High School where he had attained a remarkable scholastic and athletic record.  Aside of his family word of his death was an awful shock to the student body as he unquestionably was one of the most popular boys in the system.

This year he was serving on the annual staff; was a member of the Future Farmers of America all four years of high school and was serving as president of the group this year; played on the baseball team all four years; football for four years and this past championship season served as co-captain of the squad; was a member of the basketball squad his sophomore and junior years; was a member of the Key Club his sophomore, junior and senior years, this year he was acting as treasurer of the club; was a member of the "O" Club for three years and this year was vice-president of the "O-W" Club.

A hard working, energetic chap, Carlyle had arisen early Saturday morning, going to work at the Owen Diary at 4:30 a.m., where he holds a part-time job.  Later that forenoon he accompanied the Owen-Withee baseball team to Medford where they played Medford, with Carlyle taking his position on the local nine behind the plate.  That afternoon he aided with the spring seeding at home and then in the evening sought the natural recreational recourse of any young man attending the dance at Dorchester.

Funeral services are being conducted this afternoon at two o’clock from the Congregational Church with Rev. Ralph Claybaugh officiating.  Burial will be made at Riverside Cemetery.