Obit: Heck, LaVerne E. (1948 - 1967)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Heck, Severson, Paack, Scott, Heinzen, Passarelli, Laykovich, Neiderwerfer, Loveland, Ray, Johnson, Neibauer, Blume, Acker, Oldham, Gurkee, Nelson, Koehler

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/22/1967

Heck, LaVerne E. (30 October 1948 - 18 June 1967)

First portion of this account is missing; The River had been swollen by recent rains, and was about 100 feet across at this point at the time. Young Heck followed a sandbar into the stream until he reached a point about 30 feet from shore. A beginner at swimming, he apparently started to dog-paddle, and then apparently panicked when he found he could no longer reach the bottom with his feet, sheriff’s officers were told. He threw up his hand, disappeared beneath the surface of the water and did not come to the surface again.

Civil defense men, sheriff’s officers and volunteers dragged the area and searched the bottom in the area by diving until it was brought to the surface by a drag bar in the hands of Undersheriff Walter Oldham, then slid off.

Ronald Gurkee of Owen then dove in and recovered the body in about seven and one-half feet of water, approximately 10 feet from shore. The recovery was made about 4:15 p.m.

A La Crosse father and son lost their lives in the waters of the Black River while trying to negotiate it during the high water south of Neillsville on April 2.

Heck was born October 30, 1948, in the Town of York. He attended the Christie School in the Town of Weston and was a 1966 graduate of Neillsville High School. At the time of his death he had employment with a silo company in Withee.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Vera (Severson) Heck; a brother, Hareld Heck, Jr., of Rural Greenwood; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Eli Heck and Mr. and Mrs. Vern Severson of Greenwood.

His father, Hareld Heck, died in June, 1965.

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/29/1967

Funeral services were held June 21 for LaVerne E. Heck, 18, son of Mrs. Vera (Severson) Heck, who died June 18, by drowning. Services were held from the Georgas Funeral Home in Neillsville, with the Rev. W. C. Koehler of the United Church of Christ and Missionary Dean Nelson of Alma Center in charge. Burial was made in the Greenwood Cemetery.

Pallbearers were: Sam Ray, LeRoy Johnson, Wilbur Neibauer, Robert Blume and Richard Acker.

“Sometime We’ll Understand” and “Nearer Still Nearer” were sung by Mrs. W. C. Koehler, accompanied by Mrs. Jess W. Scott.

People from away here for the service included: Mr. and Mrs. Donald Paack of Madison: Mr. and Mrs. George Scott of Crystal lake, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Heinzen and David Heinzen of Marshfield; Mrs. Tony Passarelli and Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Laykovich of West Allis; Mr. and Mrs. Gust Neiderwerfer and Mrs. Robert Neiderwerfer of Watertown; Otto Neiderwerfer of Ft. Atkinson; Mr. and Mrs. Treasure Loveland and Louis Neiderwerfer of Oconomowoc.