----Source: Greenwood Gleaner 12/8/1940

RUDOLPH TRUNKEL ACCIDENTALLY SHOT

Rudolph Trunkel, son of John and Lida Trunkel, was born Nov. 1, 1917 at Seneca, Ill., and came to the Town of Hendren, Clark County while very young and has spent most of his life there. The past summer he spent at the Yellowstone National Park near Livingston, Mont., Returning this fall to help his father.

Rudolph had gone hunting with friends near Tioga and was standing on a stump eating a sandwich and holding his 12 gauge double barrelled shotgun near the top of the barrels with the butt of the gun resting on the stump. The butt of the gun must have slipped off the stump and as the gun slid downward both barrels discharged, emptying their load of buckshot into his groin.

His friends, Eddie Kokaly, John Kornechan, Lavern Schmidt and Robert Debevec, rushed to his aid and at his request laid him on the ground, where he expired in a short time.

Not realizing he had paseed away his companions carried his across swamp land to their truck and brought him to the Greenwood Clinic, where Dr. Overman pronounced him dead. Coroner Lodovic of Neillsville was summoned and after an investigation pronounced death accidental and that no inquest was necessary. This was Clark County's first and only hunting accident of the 1930 deer season.

Rudolph is survived by his father at Willard, his mother, Mrs. Lida Matkociz and sister Anna May of Ottawa, Ill., a brother John of Chicago, and many other relatives.

Funeral services were conducted Monday morning at 10 o'clock at the house at Willard, Rev. A. J. Abbott of Greenwood officiated, with burial in the Greenwood Cemetery.

The pallbearers were Robert Debevec, Lavern Schmidt, John Koranchan, Barney Dergance, Frank Zaller and Edward Kokaly.