Obit: Smith, Dorothy Marcella (1905 - 1959)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Smith, Hantke, Kurth, Bertrand, Brown, Devos, Geise, Musil, Schiller, Yenni, Hauge, Scott, Miller, Krueger, Slocomb, Klapper, Short, Grassman, Kuechenmeister, Svirnoff, Jackson, Westphal, Puscheck, Huntzicker, Trindal, Seybold, Tifft, Lupientol, Haigh, Arndt, Flower, Knoedler

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) January 15, 1959

Smith, Dorothy Marcella (8 November 1905 - 7 January 1959)

Friends crowded the Congregational Church in Neillsville Saturday afternoon for the funeral services for Mrs. Dorothy Smith, 53, wife of Herbert M. Smith, Secretary-treasurer of the Badger State Telephone and Telegraph Company of Neillsville, who died January 7, in her home.

A registered nurse, Mrs. Smith had been active in the organization of the Memorial Hospital auxiliary, and in the promotion of financing for the hospital building.  She also was active during the war in Red Cross work; in the civilian blood bank program in the city since its inception; and long served as treasurer of the Congregational Church.

She was found in the basement of her home by Mr. Smith when he returned about 5 p.m. from work.  Her death was believed to have occurred between 4 and 5 p.m. and resulted from a gunshot wound in the head.  A .45 calibre army revolver was found beside her.

The daughter of the late Robert and Pauline (Hantke) Kurth, Dorothy Marcella Kurth was born  November 8, 1905, in the Town of Grant.  She was graduated from Neillsville High School, and took nurses training at Methodist Hospital in Madison, where she worked for two years after her graduation as a nurse.

Her marriage took place April 19, 1930, to Herbert M. Smith, at Geneva, Ill.  They have made their home in Neillsville, since.

Surviving are her husband; a son, Gerald Smith of Neillsville; two grandchildren; and two sisters, Miss Hilda Kurth of Neillsville and Mrs. Leona Bertrand of Hyattsville, Md.

Funeral arrangements were made by the Bergemann Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were: Herbert Brown, A. L. Devos, Howard O. Geise, Jas. A. Musil, Robert W. Schiller and William H. Yenni. 

Two hymns, "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" and "Abide with Me" were sung by Harry Hauge, accompanied by Mrs. Jess W. Scott.

People from away here for the services were: Mrs. William Miller, Lincoln, Nebr.; Miss Roberta Kurth, Almond; Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Smith Jr., Thiensville; Oscar Hantke, Ironwood, Mich.; Mrs. E. M. Krueger, Milwaukee; Mrs. Ira Slocomb, Menomonie; Mr. and Mrs. Walter Klapper, Green Bay; Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Short, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Short, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Kurth, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Grassman, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Kuechenmeister, all of Granton; Mrs. Rose Svirnoff, Minneapolis, Minn.; Col. and Mrs. Leo Jackson, King; Rev. and Mrs. L. R. Westphal, Brandon; Mr. and Mrs. Herb Puscheck, Chili; Mrs. George Huntzicker, Marshfield; Mr. and Mrs. Orin Trindal, Loyal; Mr. and Mrs. Seybold (few names messed up); Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Tifft, St. Paul, Minn.; Mrs. Roy Lupientol and Mrs. Al Haigh, Marshfield; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Arndt, Thorp; Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Flower, Wisconsin Rapids; Mr. and Mrs. William Knoedler, and Miss Margaret Knoedler, of Mosinee.