Obit: Blazek, Lavern J. (1908 – 1972)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Blazek, Lockery, Gary, Ladwig, Mudgett, Ecstrom, Honius, Madison, Mallo, Herman, Day, Wojik, Clark, Riphenburg, Lyon, Newago

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 09 Mar 1972

Blazek, Lavern J. (15 MAY 1908 – 28 FEB 1972)

Lavern John Blazek, a former resident of Hannibal (Taylor Co.), Wisconsin from 1920 to 1953, died at his home in Milwaukee, Monday, February 28, 1972 at 8:30 p.m. of terminal cancer of the colon and liver. He had entered St. Michael's Hospital January 15 after working up to and including January 14th.

Lavern was born in Eastman, Crawford County, Wisconsin, May 15, 1908 to Edward M. and Mollie Mae (Lockery) Blazek. At the age of 7, he, with his parents and brother Arthur, moved to Wessington Springs, South Dakota, where they remained until December 1920, when they moved to Hannibal, Wisconsin.

He attended school there and at the age of 17 when to work on the Omaha Railroad. On 22 October , 1932 he was married to Bessie (Gary) of Arnold, at Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, by the Rev. William H. Summers.

They resided in Hannibal until July 1933, when he terminated his work on the railroad and they went to farming on their place 2 miles southeast of Hannibal. Lavern was also a carpenter and mason.

Two sons were born to Lavern and Bessie. James E. was born August 30, 1936 and Edward L. was born October 8, 1938.

The family moved to Milwaukee May 17, 1953, where Lavern was employed by the Otto Ladwig and Sons Ready-Mix and Cement Block factory, where he attained the position as yard foreman. They went out of business July 1962 and Lavern was then employed by the Pinkerton Detective Agency on March 29, 1963. He was promoted to a sergeant within a year, and his regular job was one of the six Security guards at St. Regis Paper Company at 1524 East Thomas Avenue.

Lavern was in state first, Wednesday night, March 1st at the Wrecza Funeral Home in Milwaukee, where about 200 relatives, friends, St. Regis employees, Pinkerton guards, mail carriers, policemen, Ryerson Steel Co. employees and numerous others came to pay their last respects. He was then taken to the Plombon Funeral Home at Gilman, where he was in state Thursday night, March 2nd, where again a host of old friends and neighbors came.

March 3rd his funeral was held at the Hannibal Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Kenneth Honius of Cornell officiating at the 1:30 p.m. service. The choir, under the direction of Mrs. Richard Mudgett, with the Sunday School girls and Mrs. Hilmer Ecstrom at the piano, sang Rock of Ages, Does Jesus Car? And Blest Be the Tie.

The committal services were held in the church. The pallbearers were Vernon Madison, Guy Mallo, Tom Herman, Bill Day, John Wojik, and Alva Clark. Burial was in the Hannibal Cemetery, after which the ladies of the community served lunch in the church parlors.