Obit: Pitzenberger, Rev. Paul Martin (1892 - 1971)

Contact: Linda Mertens
Email: mertens@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Pitzenberger, Freking, Schuh, Hauck, Miller

----Source – Anna Johnson’s Scrapbook

Rev. Paul Martin Pitzenberger (21 Jun 1892 – 10 Feb 1971)

Rev. Paul Pitzenberger, 78, Eau Claire, former pastor of St. Louis Catholic church at Dorchester, died Wednesday, Feb. 10, at Sacred Heart hospital, Eau Claire, where he had been hospitalized since fracturing his hip in a fall six weeks ago.

Funeral services were conducted Monday morning at St. Louis Catholic Church. The Most Rev. Frederick W. Freking, bishop of the La Crosse diocese, was the celebrant of the Mass and Rev. Gerald Schuh, pastor, was concelebrant. Interment took place in Dorchester Catholic cemetery.
The body lay in state at Maurina funeral home, Dorchester, where three rosaries were recited Sunday afternoon and evening.

Father Pitzenberger was born June 21, 1892 St. Lucas, Ia. He attended Campion high school at Prairie du Chien, St.Francis seminary at Milwaukee, and St. John’s University at Collegeville, Minn. He was ordained a priest in 1918 at St. Cloud, Minn.

His first assignment was as an assistant pastor, serving with his uncle, Msgr. Joseph Hauck, at Arcadia. From 1921 until 1933, he served at St. Louis parish and was instrumental in building the new church.

In 1933 he was transferred to Bloomer and served parishes at Stanley and Spencer until 1953 when a stroke left him paralyzed on one side. He retired and moved to Arcadia where he lived until 1960 when he moved to Eau Claire. He celebrated his golden jubilee in the priesthood June 9, 1968.

Surviving are many nieces and nephews and a housekeeper of many years, Bertha Miller.