Obit: Moldenhauer, Walter (1877 - 1965)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Moldenhauer, Wischuelke, Lautenbach, Kurth, Winter, Scheel, Krause, Schnabel, Dieck

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) June 17, 1965

Moldenhauer, Walter (11 April 1877 - 12 June 1965)

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon from Zion American Lutheran Church, Town of Grant, for Walter Moldenhauer, 88, of Rt. 1, Granton, who died Saturday in Luther Hospital, Eau Claire. The Rev. Evan Dieck officiated.  Burial was made in the church cemetery.

Walter Moldenhauer was born April 11, 1877, in Arcadia.  On May 14, 1902, he married the former Clara Wischuelke in the Zion American Church. The Moldenhauers resided for a time in Dowagiac, Mich., where he was employed as a sawyer and special mechanic. In 1905 they returned to Clark County, locating on a farm in the Town of Lynn.  In 1937 they moved onto their present place in the Town of Grant.

Mr. Moldenhauer was recognized for years as Clark County’s most successful repairman, inventor and tinkerer.  He invented many items of convenience for lumbermen, farmers, road builders and mechanics.  He also operated portable sawmills in many parts of central Clark County.  For more than 40 years Mr. Moldenhauer operated a portable threshing machine on many Clark County farms, and his road equipment has been used in many Wisconsin areas.

He had also been an early aviation enthusiast and built a plane, which was the chief attraction at the Clark County Fair many years ago.

Surviving are his wife; a son, Alfred, of Granton; and a granddaughter.

Pallbearers were: Ed Lautenbach, Ray Kurth, Arno Winter, Herman Scheel, Oscar Krause and Herbert Schnabel.