Obit: Duge, William Otto (1886 - 1962)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Duge, Ott, Knoop, Butterbrodt, Buddenhagen, Behnke, Carl, Vine, Scharf, Helm, Garbisch, Wagner, Ratsch, Voll, Bequette, Mueller, Crocker, Hoke, Gearing, Smith, Bieneck, Haines, Scharf, Stelter, Brandt, Lehman, Lindloff

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) November 1, 1962

Duge, William Otto (1 February 1886 - 25 October 1962)

Funeral services were conducted Monday afternoon from St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Neillsville for William Duge, 76, of Fairchild, a former Town of Grant resident who died suddenly October 25, at the home of his son, Louis, in Fairchild. The Rev. Norman Lindloff officiated and burial was made in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

William Otto Duge, son of the late Ludwig and Mary (Ott) Duge, was born February 1, 1886, in New Holstein. When he was a small child the family moved onto a farm in the Town of Grant.  He attended Reed School and St. John’s Lutheran School in Neillsville.  He worked for two years in Detroit, Mich., and on November 6, 1912, he was married to Elsie Knoop.  She died in 1954.

Following their marriage they resided on a farm in the Town of Grant, and since the death of his wife he had made his home with his son.

Mr. Duge was a member of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and was active in church work, having been a member of the council for 40 years and president of the congregation for several years.  He served as treasurer of the Pleasant Ridge Creamery for 30 years, as school clerk for the Reed School for 24 years, a member of the Grant town board for 20 years and served as town chairman of the Town of Grant for five years.  He also was a member of the Clark County Fair Association for 25 years.

He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Clarence (Marvelene) Butterbrodt of Chili; a son, Louis, of Fairchild; four grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Elmer (Emelia) Buddenhagen of Neillsville.

Funeral arrangements were made by the Bergemann Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were: Paul Bieneck, Glenn Haines, Henry Helm, Herman Ratsch, Herman Scharf and Frederick Stelter.

"Just As I Am" and "Muede Bin Iche Geh Zur Ruh" were sung by John C. Brandt, accompanied at the organ by Victor Lehman.

People here for the service were: Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Butterbrodt and Jackie, Chili; Mr. and Mrs. Louis Duge and daughters, Fairchild; John Butterbrodt, China Lake, Cal.; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Behnke of Loyal; Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Butterbrodt of Burnett; Mrs. Irvin Carl, Greenwood; Mr. and Mrs. Theamore Vine, Granton; Alvin Scharf, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Helm, Mrs. Christine Garbisch, Mr. and Mrs. George Wagner, all of Granton; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Ratsch and Mrs. Harold Ratsch, of Greenwood; Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Voll, Mr. and Mrs. Archie Bequette, Mr. and Mrs. William Mueller, Mrs. Wanda Crocker, Mr. and Mrs. George Hoke, all of Fairchild, E. J. Vine, Granton; Mrs. Gordon Gearing of Humbird and Mrs. Vilas Smith of Merrillan.