Obit: Goessl, James E. (1945 – 1965)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Goessl, Zowal, Meidl, Schuh

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 09 Sep 1965

Goessl, James E. (14 NOV 1945 – 3 SEP 1965)

James E. Goessl, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hebert I. Goessl, route 1, Curtiss, died at 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 3, 1965 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield, becoming the second victim of a crash that occurred Saturday, August 28 on Highway 13, south of Unity.

Goessl had suffered multiple fractures, cut and bruises in the accident that killed his cousin and driving companion, Paul E. Zowal, 18, son of Mrs. Mary Zowal, Owen.

Marathon County authorities were unable to determine who had been driving the car when it smashed into a concrete bridge abutment about 1 ½ miles south of Unity, just after 2:30 a.m. August 28.

Zowal was hurled approximately 40 feet from the car into a ditch, as the car in which the two were riding burst into flames. Two unidentified motorists pulled Goessl from the front seat of the burning auto. Kenneth Meidl, Marshfield, a railway express driver, who was passing the scene, extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher from his truck. Both victims were taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where Zowal was pronounced dead on arrival, and Goessl was listed in critical condition.

Funeral services for James were held Monday, September 6 in St. Louis Catholic Church, Dorchester. The Rev. Gerald Schuh officiated, and burial was made in the parish cemetery.

Mr. Goessl was born November 14, 1945 in the Dorchester area. He graduated from Dor-Abby High School in 1963, and worked for one year in the Cloverhill Cheese Factory. At the time of his death, he was employed as a plumber at Pathfinder Mobile Homes in Spencer. He was a member of St. Louis Catholic Church and the Catholic Order of Foresters.