Obit: Garbisch, Evelyn (1939 - 1959)

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Garbisch, Bartsch, Schuelke

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 09/24/1959

Garbisch, Evelyn (22 JAN 1939 - 21 SEP 1959)

The death of a 20-year-old Granton (Clark Co., Wis.) girl early Monday raised Clark County’s traffic toll to five for 1959.  Four of the fatalities have been within the last 10 days.

Evelyn Garbisch was killed instantly about 3:20 a.m. Monday when the car she was driving left Hwy. 10 about two and one-half miles east of here.

County traffic officials believe the victim, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. fed Garbisch, route 1, Granton, had fallen asleep at the wheel.  A wrecker driver said the vehicle, a 1953 Dodge, was the most severely smashed auto he had ever seen.

The car went off the left side of the highway into the north ditch where it hit a stump, tearing off most of the left side of the auto and throwing Miss Garbisch out.  From there the car veered around and the right side struck a tree.  Witnesses said debris was scattered over a 50 square foot area.

Coroner Bob Lulloff said death was accidental and no inquest would be held.  Sheriff Frank Dobes and officers Harry Frantz and Dale Schultz investigated at the scene.

Authorities said that Miss Garbisch and another girl, Carol Holt, Neillsville, had spent some time in Hatfield Sunday evening.  They arrived in Neillsville about 3:15 a.m., where Miss Holt got off at home.  The accident occurred about five minutes later, four miles from the home of Miss Garbisch’s parents.

She is survived by her parents, two sisters, Mrs. Donald Bartsch, route 1, Granton, and Elsie at home; three brothers, Ronald, route 2, Granton, and Frederick Jr. and John at home; her maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schuelke, Granton, and Her paternal grandmother, Mrs. Emma Garbisch, at the Fred Garbisch home.

Miss Garbisch was born in the town of Grant, Jan. 22, 1939.  She graduated from Granton High School and was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church there.  She had worked in Milwaukee as a stenographer for about eight months before going to work at Marshfield at a shoe company.

Clark County’s second, third and fourth victims were killed Sept. 11 on Hwy. 12 near Humbird.