Obit: Gruszynski, Clara E. #3 (1891 - 1967)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Gruszynski, Conway, Kaniewski

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 02 Mar 1967

Gruszynski, Clara E. (20 JUN 1891 - 21 FEB 1967)

Services were held here Saturday, Feb. 25, for Clara E. Gruszynski, 75, one of the founders and original directors of Thorp Finance Corp., who died of a stroke, Feb. 21, 1967 at South Bend, Ind.

Miss Gruszynski was assistant cashier of the Farmers Exchange Bank in Thorp (Clark Co., Wis.), in 1925, when she joined with Francis J. Conway, present chairman of the finance firm, and several other residents of the community in organizing a corporation to handle automobile financing.

She continued to work full time at the bank and spent evenings on Thorp Finance maters until 1933, when the young company erected a small building and she became manager of the office.

Retiring from active service in 1961, when she held the tile of vice president, Miss Gruszynski was elected an honorary life vice president of the corporation in 1964, and continued as a director until her death.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Gruszynski, she was born June 30, 1891 in the small mining community of Excelsior, Pa., moved to Milwaukee with her family when she was three months old, later to Antigo, Wis., and finally to Thorp. She attended school there and began her career by teaching and later was principal of a two-room s=rural school from 1911 - 1924, before joining the bank.

Miss Gruszynski is survived by her brother, Louis, in Thorp, a sister, Mrs. Pelagia Kaniewski in South Bend, and several nieces and nephews.

Services were held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Thorp, with burial at Riverside Cemetery in Withee.

Pallbearers were: Mr. Chas. Kobinsky, Mr. Galen Misfeldt, Mr. Francis Giwojna, Mr. Herbert Hermsen, Mr. Ralph Ahles, Mr. Karl Hutter.

Honorary Pallbearers were: Mr. Francis J. Conway, Mr. Corwin C. Guell, Mr. Jean C. Broeren, Mr. R.J. Tolford, Mr. Robert M. Conway, Mr. Emil E. Kostner, Mr. Glenn D. Hammitt, Mr. Harvey V. Mason, Mr. Tom Polnaszek, Mr. Harold P. Thompson, Mr. Andrew Krych, Dr. Francis P. Neis, and Mr. Joseph Decker.