Obit: Frese, Henry Sr. (1873 - 1959)

Contact:stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Frese, Deforth, Rossman, Lussenden, Seaman

----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., Wis.)  02/26/1959

Frese, Henry Sr. (25 MAR 1873 - 21 FEB 1959)

Henry Frese, Sr., who came to this community 72 years ago, died at St. Joseph’s Hospital at Marshfield on Saturday evening, Feb. 21, 1959, of old age infirmities, after an illness of several weeks.  He had reached the age of 85 years, 10 months and 27 days.

The deceased was born in New Holstein, Wis. on March 25, 1873 and came to Thorp (Clark Co., Wis.) at the age of fourteen years.  While a young man he was employed at various lumber camps in this vicinity and also worked on log drives on rivers near here.  He was one of the few remaining river men who could recall and account the history of the exciting days of the picturesque logging drive.  Later he served as a patrolman on County Highways M and N.

He was united in marriage to Rose Deforth at Eau Claire on April 15, 1900.  They made their home on a farm in the Town of Reseburg where the family was raised.  After the death of his wife in December 1942, Mr. Frese lived with his son Henry Jr., and family in Reseburg.

Surviving him are three sons, Phillip Frese of Gilman and Ellery and Henry Frese of Thorp; one daughter, Isabelle, Mrs. Leon Lussenden of Gilman; one brother, Herman Frese of Gilman; two sisters, Mrs. Anna Rossman and Mrs. Meta Seaman of Gilman; twenty grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Cecil Ward at the Thorp Funeral Home Chapel at 2:00 o’clock Wednesday afternoon, with interment following in the Sylvan Cemetery in Reseburg.  Pallbearers were John Barth, Dave Weinberger, Conrad Aarth, Herman Doege, Caesar Darth, and Ernest Doege.