Obit: Huth, Pvt. JoAnn Marie (1954 - 1973)

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

Surnames: Huth, Noah, Grottke, Bertz, Buddinger, Opelt, Marg, Dux, Keller

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 5/31/1973

Huth, Pvt. JoAnn Marie (1 April 19554 - 27 May 1973)

A nineteen year old Granton woman, home on leave after completing basic training as a WAC in the U. S. Army, became the fourth traffic fatality in Clark County for 1973, when her auto left the roadway on state highway 73, one mile south of Neillsville.

The woman, Pvt. JoAnn M. Huth, was pronounced dead on arrival at Neillsville Memorial Hospital shortly after the 5:45 p.m. Sunday accident. Pvt. Huth suffered head injuries and a broken neck, according to investigating officers of the Clark County Sherriff’s Department.

The Huth vehicle, traveling south on the rain-soaked highway, skidded 105 feet on the shoulder, 140 feet through the ditch and then collided with a culvert and abutment leading into the Walter Grottke residence, located one mile south of Neillsville state highway 73.

The Huth auto ended its off-the-road course resting on the driveway, approximately ten more feet from the culvert collision site. According to Sheriff David Bertz, when officers arrived on the scene, Miss Huth was holding a clip-type note board in her hand. Bertz stated that the board was the type usually attached to the sun visor in an auto and he felt that “she was either reaching for the board from the visor or it had fallen to the floor and she was trying to retrieve the board from the car’s floor.” Miss Huth was on leave from basic training at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas and was visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Huth, Jr., for the Memorial weekend.

According to local U. S. Army recruiters, Pvt. Huth was to return to Ft. Sam Houston for training in medical technology after her leave was completed.

Funeral services for Pvt. Huth were to be held Wednesday afternoon at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Sherwood, with the Rev. E. T. Keller officiating. Burial, with military rites, was to be made in the Sherwood Cemetery. The Georgas Funeral home was in charge of arrangements.

JoAnn Marie Huth, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Huth, Jr., of Rt. 2 Granton, was born April 1, 1954, in Neillsville, was educated in local schools and graduated from the Neillsville High School in 1972. She enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps last December and was stationed at Ft. McClellan, Al., and at Ft. Houston, San Antonio, Tx. Pvt. Huth was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Surviving, in addition to her parents, are her grandparents, Arthur Noah, and Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Huth, Sr., all of Rt. 2 Granton; two sisters, Diane and Gail, and four brothers, Roger, Duane, Arnold III and Dennis, all at home.

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 6/07/1973

Funeral services for Pvt. JoAnn M. Huth, 19, of Ft. Sam Houston, Tx, who lost her lift in a traffic accident May 27, were held May 30 at 2 p.m. from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Sherwood, with the Rev. E. T. Keller officiating. Graveside military rites at the Sherwood Cemetery were conducted by the Ft. Sheridan burial detachment. DeWayne Dux served as bugler. The Georgas Funeral home was in charge of arrangements.

Pallbearers were George Buddinger, William Buddinger, Steve Opelt, and Duane Marg (a couple pallbearer names are missing).