Obit: Wepling, John (1880 - 1956)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Wepling, Missling, Pieper, Frane

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 09/20/1956

Wepling, John (3 MAR 1880 - 14 SEP 1956)

A 76-year-old retired farmer drowned Friday in the Black River west of Withee (Clark Co., Wis.) off Highway 29.

John Wepling, who lived with his daughter, Mrs. Herbert Missling and family in the town of Longwood, left his home before five a.m., taking a drive in his car.  When he hadn’t returned by noon Mrs. Missling notified Owen’s Chief of Police, Adolph Haavisto.

Chief Haavisto found Wepling’s unattended car in the park area at the Black River Tourist Park.  Chief Haavisto and Emil Niemi, Jr., followed tracks in the grass to the river’s edge while Mrs. Haavisto walked down the highway to the bridge.  She discovered Wepling’s body in about three feet of water under the bridge spanning the highway.

Coroner John Bergemann and Dr. H. M. Braswell were both called and said his death was due to accidental drowning.  Mr. Wepling had suffered from a severe case of asthma for several years and authorities believe he may have suffered such an attack and fell into the river.

At two o’clock Monday afternoon funeral services for John Wepling were held at the Hoeper and Kraut Funeral Home with the Rev. J. H. Saarinen, pastor of Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church, Owen, officiating.  Burial was made at Riverside Cemetery.  Serving as pallbearers were Carl Sillampa, Arne Holpanen, Sig. Anderson John Prepuleh, George Frahman and Matt Bombach.  The floral offerings were in charge of Mrs. Arne Holpanen Mrs. Matt Bombach and Mrs. Carl Sillampa.

The deceased was born March 3, 1880, in Finland where he received his education.  In 1905 he came to the United States, first settling at Iron Mountain, Mich., where he remained until 1908, when he moved to Red Granite, Wis.  Five years later he made his last move, coming to Owen (Clark Co., Wis.) where he settled on a farm south of the city and farmed successfully until his retirement several years ago.

He is survived by three daughters Mrs. George (Eine) Pieper of Casper, Wyo.; Mrs. Herb (Lempi) Missling, route 1, Owen; Mrs. Ed (Lydia) Frane, Royal Oak, Mich.; two sons, Leo of Detroit, Mich., and Arne of Owen; 13 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.