Obit: Ihlenfeldt, Sylvester W. (1906 – 1968)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Ihlenfeldt, Baumgardner, Luetkehoelter, Fritsch, Mahoney, Ferries, McMillan, Kafka, Woodbeck, Arola, Max, Barager, Rohland, Niemi, Woodring, Krause, Kohls, Freizyna, Cook

---------Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 12 Sep 1968

Ihlenfeldt, Sylvester W. (30 MAR 1906 – 7 SEP 1968)

At an early hour a week ago this morning, Sylvester W. Ihlenfeldt, the principal at Owen-Withee Junior and Senior High Schools, suffered what was termed a slight heart attack at his home. A doctor was called and after emergency treatment he was sent to the hospital at Marshfield. Thursday and Friday he received his wife and schoolmen Baumgardner and Fritsch as visitors, both of whom were impressed by his spirit and apparent good recovery.

Mrs. Ihlenfeldt remained with him at the hospital and both were hopeful of his dismissal on Saturday. But late Friday night he was stricken with a fatal attack that claimed the life of a dedicated schoolman shortly after midnight, on Saturday, September 7, 1968. He was 62 years of age and had been serving the Owen-Withee school system since August of last year.

Friends, faculty and students paid their respects at the Hoeper and Kraut Funeral Home Sunday and Monday forenoon. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the body reposed in the high school auditorium, where services were held at 1 o'clock.

Rev. H.W. Luetkehoelter, pastor of Nazareth Lutheran Church, Withee, officiated at the service, during which two selections were sung by a choir of 40 voices comprised of friends, faculty members, and students singing "God So Loved the World," and "Oh God Our Help in Ages Past." Mrs. W.J. Mahoney Jr. accompanied the group at the piano.

Pallbearers were James Ferries, Peter McMillan, Ted Kafka, Orlando Woodbeck, Dan Arola, and Ben Max. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Board of Education, Bertel Miller, J.R. Barager, Julius Rohland, Allen Niemi, Rev. Arnold Woodring, and Mrs. W.E. Krause, and schoolmen, Superintendent Earl V. Baumgardner and Elementary Supervisor, Myron Fritsch.

Burial was made Tuesday at Manitowoc in Evergreen Cemetery. Mr. Fritsch represented the Owen-Withee school system at this graveside service.

S.W. Ihlenfeldt was born March 30, 1906, at Kewaunee, received his education there, and later attended WSU, Stevens Point; the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Colorado State University, and the University of Minnesota at Duluth.

He had served as principal of school at Kaukauna; Superintendent of Marinette County Teachers College at Marinette, and as Superintendent at Webster, prior to coming to Owen (Clark Co., Wis.).

He was a member of the Rotary Club and the Withee Lions Club.

His marriage to Viola Kohls, who preceded him in death October 22, 1955, took place August 23, 1936 at Manitowoc. On July 18, 1959, he was married at Fond du Lac to Cora Bell Keller, who survives him.

Other survivors are two daughters, Mrs. Francis (Jane) Freizyna, Minneapolis, Minn.; Mrs. Lloyd (Nola) Cook, Marinette; two stepsons, Wm. Keller, Washington, and Robert Keller, Green Bay; two stepdaughters, Diana Keller, San Jose, California, and Lynn Keller, at home; a brother, Vernon, Kewaunee, and 10 grandchildren.