Obit: Lunka, Joseph Frank (1893 - 1969)

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

Surnames: Lunka, Klancher, Stanley, Suda, Leasch, Hauser, Ulesich, Pernic, Morgal, Francel, Volovsek, Seliskar, Tolaney, Nikolai

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 5/15/1969

Lunka, Joseph Frank (19 March 1893 - 8 May 1969)

Joseph Frank Lunka, 76, retired business man of Willard, died last week Thursday at his home of an apparent heart attack. Funeral services were held Monday Morning from the Holy Family Catholic Church in Willard, with the Rev. William Nikolai officiating. Burial was made in the Holy Family Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were: John Pernic, Frank Morgal, John Francel, Frank Volovsek, Philip Seliskar and Joseph Tolaney.

Mr. Lunka, son of Frank and Mary (Klancher) Lunka, was born March 19, 1893, in Yugoslavia. In 1897 the family went to Brazil, where they lived on a coffee plantation. In 1901, he moved with his parents to Ely, Minn., and in 1910 they came to Willard. Later he worked for some time in Chicago, Ill., and Joliet, Ill. In 1926, he went into a business of his own, operating a general merchandise and feed store in Willard.

He was married to Lucille Stanley on August 20, 1932. They operated the store until 1958, when he retired. He was a member of the Holy Family Catholic Church and the Holy Family Society, K. S. K. J., and was a member of the American Slovenian Catholic Union Lodge. He was town clerk of Hendren for eight years and town assessor for several years.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Stanley (Avis) Suda; a granddaughter, Pamela; three sisters, Mrs. Marie Leasch of Redfield, S. D., Mrs. James (Frances) Hauser of Chicago, Ill., and Mrs. Joseph (Anna) Ulesich of Greenwood; a brother, Frank Lunka of Eveleth, Minn.; and several nieces and nephews.