Obit: Struble, Lawrence ’Chuck’ (1922 -1974)

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

Surnames: Struble, Moen, Krejci, Montag, Baysinger, Olson, Luedeke, Harding, Balsom, Harding, Perrine, Bertz, Schleifer, Lulloff, Patey, Oldham, Gault, Kreitlow, Clark, Spangler, Noble

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/12/1974

Struble, Lawrence ‘Chuck’ (5 June 1922 – 5 September 1974)

A Neillsville city police officer for twenty-two years was laid to rest Monday; the victim of an apparent heart attack while on duty last Thursday evening.

The officer, Lawrence (Chuck) Struble, 52, was pronounced dead-on-arrival at Neillsville Memorial Hospital.

Struble was apparently making his early evening rounds with the city’s police car when the attack occurred. The car left the roadway near the intersection of Division and Hewett, and collided with a telephone pole. Struble was reported to have struck the windshield of the auto on impact.

Witnesses to the accident entered a nearby inn and called authorities. Two members of the Clark County Sheriff’s Department were in the inn at the time, and responded to the accident, giving first aid to Struble who was still alive at the time.

Born in the Town of Lynn on June 5, 1922, Struble attended schools in the area, and graduated from the Neillsville High School. He entered the armed forces in September of 1942, served with the 1182nd military police company in England, and was discharged on June 14. 1944.

Struble worked for businesses in Marshfield and Neillsville prior to joining the Clark County Sheriff’s Department as a radio operator and officer for the city of Neillsville.

Struble leaves his wife, Alice (Moen) Struble; two children, Mrs. Devere (Barbara) Krejci of Neillsville, and Dean of Beaver Dam; one sister, Mrs. Craig (Genevieve) Montag of Augusta; and one brother, Delbert (Bud) of Neillsville. Struble is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Lula Struble of Neillsville.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the Georgas Funeral Home with burial at the Neillsville City Cemetery. The Rev. William Noble of the Neillsville United Methodist Church officiated.

Struble was a member of the Haugen-Richmond American Legion Post No. 73.

Pallbearers were: William Perrine, David Bertz, Richard Schleifer, Robert Lulloff, Dan Patey, Walter Oldham, Franklin Gault, and Joe Kreitlow.

City, County, and State police officers, as well as members of the civil defense organization, attended the services in a body.

Military rites were conducted by Neillsville detachment I, 106th Supply and Service Company, WANG, and by the Neillsville American Legion post #73.
The Rev. Gary Clark sang “How Great Thou Art” and “There is a Balm in Gilead.” Mrs. James Spangler was the accompanist.

Among those attending the services were the following from out-of-town: Mr. and Mrs. Dean Struble and family, Beaver Dam; Mr. and Mrs. Craig Montag, Augusta; Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Baysinger and Mr. and Mrs. Martin Olson, Peterson, Ia.; Mrs. Gertrude Luedeke, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Harding, and Melvin Balsom, Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Harding, West Bend.