Obit: Schmidtke, William F. (1894 - 1973)

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

Surnames: Schmidtke, Welch, Turner, Eggleston, Madler, Dumas, Dankemyer, Helm, Garbisch, Nickel

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 3/08/1973

Schmidtke, William F. (27 August 1894 - 27 February 1973)

William F. Schmidtke, 78, honored in recent years as one of Granton’s outstanding citizens, died February 27 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon from the Granton United Methodist Church with the Rev. Melvin Nickel officiating. Burial was made in the Windfall Cemetery, where the Loyal American Legion Post conducted military rites. The Gilbertson Funeral Home at Granton was in charge of arrangements.

William Schmidtke was born August 27, 1894, in the Town of Fremont and was educated in area schools. He did farm work in Wisconsin and in North Dakota before entering military service in 1918. Wounded while serving in France, Mr. Schmidtke returned to Granton after receiving his discharge from the Army.

His marriage to the former Esther Welch took place June 21, 1922, in Granton. The couple observed their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house at the united Methodist Church June 25, 1972. During his years in Granton, Mr. Schmidtke was a Standard Oil agent for 27 years and an insurance agent for 15 years. He served as Granton Village treasurer for 19 years and was also a member of the village board. Mr. Schmidtke was a member of the United Methodist Church.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, Esther, include a niece and nephew whom the couple raised, Gene Turner of Rockford, Ill., and Mrs. J. H. (Beverly) Eggleston of Stanton, Ca.; two sisters, Mrs. Augusta Madler of Evergreen Park, Ill., and Mrs. Earl Dumas of Tacoma, Wa.; and four brothers, Henry Schmidtke of Ledgerwood, N. D., Ernest Schmidtke of Menasha, Paul Schmidtke of Union Center and Herman Schmidtke of El Cajon, Ca.

Pallbearers were: Alton Schmidtke, Stanley Madler, Otto A. Schmidtke, Kenneth Dankemyer, Gerald Welch and Duane Welch. Soloist Mrs. Roger Helm sang “Precious Grace” and “Have Thine own way, Lord.” Mrs. Lee Garbisch was the organist.