Obit: Schade, Lester A. #2 (1917 - 1944)
Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Schade, Wibben, Abbot

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) Thursday, 2 Aug. 1945

Schade, Lester A. (30 May 1917 - 31 Dec. 1944)

Memorial services were held for Lt. Lester Schade and Staff Sgt. Nicholas Wibben, members of Christ Lutheran church, at the church Sunday afternoon.

Lester Schade, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Schade, was born in the town of Holton, May 30, 1917. He attended the Bruckerville grade school, in the town of Holton and graduated from Dorchester high school in 1934. After taking a four year course at the Wisconsin University he entered the Officers’ Training School at Philadelphia, Pa. In June, 1940, he left for the Philippine Islands.

Lt. Schade was reported missing in April, 1942, and about a month later the parents were notified that Lester was a prisoner of war in the Philippines. He remained a prisoner at that camp until December, 1944. He lost his life Dec. 31, 1944 when a prisoner transport was sunk in the Pacific.

He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Schade; two brothers, Clarence and Ernest Schade, all of the town of Holton.

Nicholas Wibben was born in the town of Holton, Sept. 19, 1917, and attended the public schools in the town of Holton and in Abbotsford. He enlisted in the United States Army Dec. 20, 1939, and received his training at Vancouver, Wash.; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Camp Collins, Cal.; Norfolk, Va.; and in a camp in Vermont.

In August, 1942, he began Commando training and received the wings of a paratrooper in September of the same year. He was a member of the American-Canadian paratroopers.

Sgt. Wibben saw action in the Pacific war zone in 1943 before being transferred to Italy. The War Department reported him missing in action in Italy, Dec. 7, 1943, and a year later, listed him as dead.

On Feb. 6, 1943, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Wibben was married to Natalie Abbot of Deer Lodge, Montana.

He is survived by his wife, Natalie; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nic Wibben; five sisters, Mrs. Catherine Bahr, Wausau; Mrs. Anita Beilke, Colby; Mrs. Ruth Remus, Stratford, Dorothy ....missing content.