Obit: Winrich, George H. (1899 - 1964)

Contact stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Winrich, Shreeves, Rusch, Duncan, Best, Alson

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 03/26/1964

Winrich, George H. (30 MAY 1899 - 23 MAR 1964)

George H. Winrich, 64, retired manager of Northern State Power Co.'s Blair District, died Monday at 7 p.m. at his home in Blair, after a long illness.

He was born May 30, 1899 at Menomonie, son of Albert and Charlotte Winrich. He married Edna Shreeves at Cippewa Falls Dec. 31, 1919, where they resided for a number of years following their marriage.

Winrich's retirement last year occasioned by ill health. He was one of NSP's oldest employees in length of service. He began his utility career in 1915, working on construction of the Company's Wissota dam.

Winrich was transferred to Chippewa Falls, where he was assigned as a lineman and later as a member of the sales and new business departments.

In 1930 he was appointed manager of NSP's Owen (Clark Co., Wis.) service area, later to be expanded to include the Abbotsford area. He remained at Owen until 1942 when he was transferred to Blair as district manager.

The new assignment here included supervision of operation in the Augusta area from 1943 to 1961.

In 1961, the company realignment terminated Winrich's Augusta area responsibility, but added new areas of supervision, including Melrose, Ettrick, Galesville, Whitehall and Black River Falls.

Winrich has been a member of the Eau Claire Elks, F. & AM at Owen, Royal Arch Masons at Whitehall and the Wis. Utilities Association. He had slso served as president of the Blair Commercial and Lion Clubs. At the time of his death he was a member of the Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors.

He is survived by his wife; one daughter, Mrs. Shirley (Audrey) Rusch, Thorp; two grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; eight brothers, Fred, William, Edward, Theodore, Lawrence and Elmer, Eau Claire; Harry, Tacoma, Wash., and Albert, Minnesota, and two sisters, Mrs. Myrtle Duncan, Tacoma, Wash., and Miss Philip (Violet Best, Minnesota. A daughter, Mrs. Robert (Barbara) Alson died Feb. 1, 1955.

Funeral services will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, Blair, the Rev. L.H. Jacobson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.