Obit: Zilk, Joseph Frank (1893 - 1972)

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

Surnames: Zilk, Leopold, Metz, Holbourn, McConnell, Kuester, Behrens, Plier, Baumer, Bell, Harwood, Langfeldt, Neuman, Schmidtke, Drescher, Svetlik, Quicker, Bruhn, Feuerstein, Sturtz, Gustman, Schiesel, Hubing, Haas, Kessler, Brady

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 3/30/1972

Zilk, Joseph Frank (19 March 1893 - 22 March 1972)

Funeral services for Joseph Frank Zilk, 79, retired Neillsville businessman who died here March 22, were held Saturday, March 25, at 10 a.m. from St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The Rev. Charles D. Brady officiated and burial was made in the parish cemetery. A Rosary service was held Friday evening at the Georgas Funeral Home, where the body of Mr. Zilk was in state.

Joseph Zilk, the son of Joseph and Anna (Leopold) Zilk was born March 19, 1893, at Kaukauna. He moved to Hewett with his family and was educated there. As a young man, he drove teams in logging camps. Before entering military service on August 16, 1918, he operated a Rawleigh Products route in the Neillsville area.

Mr. Zilk served overseas as a sergeant in the Aircraft Division and was discharged at Camp Grant on May 13, 1919. He purchased a bulk petroleum products franchise that same year and operated it until 1940, when he founded the service station business which he operated until his 1955 retirement.

Mr. Zilk and his wife the former Theresa Metz, lived in Milwaukee from 1955 until 1968, when they returned to Neillsville. The Zilks were married January 12, 1921, in Stetsonville. A member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and its Holy Name Society, Mr. Zilk was also active in civic affairs throughout his lifetime. He was a charter member of Haugen-Richmond American Legion Post No. 73.

Survivors in addition to his wife, include three sons, Glen and Francis Zilk of Neillsville and Joseph Zilk, Jr., of Wind Lake, two sisters, Mrs. Lee (Elizabeth) Holburn of Marshfield and Mrs. Anna McConnell of Kensington, Ca; two brothers, Michael Zilk of Eagle River and John Zilk of Kerrville, Tx; and eight grandchildren.

Pallbearers were: Art Drescher, Frank Svetlik, Hubert Quicker, Earl Bruhn, Max Feuerstein and Howard Sturtz. Honorary pallbearers were Arnold Gustman, John Schiesel, George Hubing, B. J. Haas, Carl Kessler and Norbert Kuester.

Those who attended the services from out of town are as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Kuester and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Behrens, Greenwood; Mr. and Mr. Joe Zilk, Jr., and family, Wind Lake; Mrs. Clara Plier, Chicago, Il; Mr and Mrs. George Metz and Mr. and Mrs. Ben Meta, Stetsonville; Mr and Mrs. Charles Metz, Medford; Mr and Mrs. Anton Metz, Athens; Mr and Mrs. Mike Baumer, Madison; Mr and Mrs. Norbert Bell, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Holbourn and Mr. and Mrs. Guy Harwood, Marshfield; Mr. and Mrs. Max Langfeldt and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Neuman Loyal; Mr. and Mrs. William Schmidtke, Granton.