Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Humke, Myhrwold, Olson, Liebzeit, Fischer, Geisler
----Source: Greenwood Gleaner (Greenwood, Clark Co., Wis.) 09 Jul 1964
(Written by Arvid Myhrwold)
There are rare experiences all around us. Most of them pass unnoticed. For example, where can you come upon two men sitting together whose combine ages total 175 years? This happens in front of Katie's Dairy Bar. Or where can you meet a man who was 76 years old when his mother died? This happened to Theodore Humke. He is also unusual in this respect, that he has lived 84 years in the same community. Some time ago we noted that this was true also of Henry Olson.
Theodore first saw the light of day on a farm west of Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.) back in 1880. This was during the days of pine logging, and Theodore grew up in it. He worked as a teamster in the lumber camps, in the days of ice roads. I asked him what was the largest load of logs he had hauled. "Fifty-seven long, about six thousand feet. I hauled it in with a four-hourse team." That would go a long way on a house.
Theodore was always public spirited. He served as clerk of the school board for 11 years. For 18 years he was clerk of Warner Township. He was a member of the County board for 11 years, and served as chairman. Way back in 1930 he and Albert Liebzeit organized the Warner Mutual Insurance Company, and it is still going. He was one of the men who secured the charter for the Clark Electric Cooperative. He has been a lifelong member of the West Side Immanuel United Church of Christ.
Theodore also loves music. He once challenged my wife to sing a duet with him, and I think they'll do it yet.
Theodore's wife came up from La Crosse to find him. She was Swiss, Adeline Fischer, by name. She ccame up to the Greenwood community to visit her aunt at Christmas time. From this union came a rather remarkable family, as far as ability is concerned. Harold is principal at Nekoosa, Huber, the eldest, was a bomber pilot in World War II, and was killed in action, and Everett is a banker in Rochester, Minn.
The boys did not care to farm, so Theodore quite in 1948. During recent years, he has lived in town. There are not many left of his generation. There were eleven in his confirmation class; only one other, Mrs. Geisler of Cornell, is left.
I asked him if he would like to live his life over again. "You darn right! I had a good time!" That is good testimony.
