Obit: Rilling, Dr. Jacob A. (1885 – 1965)

Contact: Dinah Reinke

Email: dinah@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Rilling, Smith, Ourada

------ Source: Tribune-Phonograph (Abbotsford and Colby, Clark Co., Wis.) 01/27/1966

------ Rilling, Dr. Jacob A. (25 NOV 1885 – 25 JAN 1965)

Dr. J. A. Rilling, 80, of Rib Lake, who practiced dentistry in Abbotsford for 50 years, died Tuesday, Jan. 25, after a long illness.  Death occurred at the Memorial hospital, Medford, where he was admitted shortly before.

The body is lying in state at the Mannel Funeral Home at Rib Lake where a Masonic service is set for Thursday evening at 8 o’clock.  Funeral services will be held on Friday at 2 o’clock at the funeral home after which interment will be made in the Abbotsford cemetery where graveside rites will be held.

Jacob Rilling was born Nov. 25, 1885, in Washington county and he attended school at Oshkosh.  After he graduated from the Oshkosh high school he attended Loyola university at Chicago and was graduated from the school of dentistry in 1909.  He opened an office in Abbotsford in 1909 and continued in that profession until 1959.

His marriage to Mae Smith of Chicago took place Aug. 31, 1909.

Dr. Rilling was a member of the First Presbyterian church of Abbotsford, the Abbotsford Masonic Lodge, the Abbotsford Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, and a 50 year member of the Royal Neighbor lodge.  He was also a member of the Masonic lodge of Medford, the Council at Marshfield, the Neillsville Commandery, consistory of Eau Claire, and a member of Zor Shrine in Madison.

He was a life member of the American Dental Association and a past president of both the Clark county and the Marathon county dental societies.

He served on the Abbotsford village board for 18 years.

After his retirement, Dr. and Mrs. Rilling spent several winters at Brownsville, Texas, and their summers at Harper Lake, which became their permanent home for the past several years.

Surviving him are his wife and daughter, Althea, at home, another daughter, Mrs. Joe (Winifred) Ourada, lives at Wausau.  He also leaves one grand daughter, Mary Ourada, Rib Lake.  Two brothers also survive: John P. Rilling of Wausau and Werner Rilling of Milwaukee.

He was preceded in death by a son, one brother and three sisters.