Obit: Berres, Janet (1963 - 1979)

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

Surnames: Berries, Rueth, Momper

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/13/1979

Berres, Janet (15 December 1963 – 9 September 1979)

Dead was Janet Berres, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Berres, Rt. 2 Greenwood. The accident took placed at approximately 3:00 a.m. about one mile west of Greenwood on County G. A rural Greenwood man is facing a charge of operating under the influence of alcohol and possibly other charges in the auto-bicycle accident that resulted in the death of a fifteen-year-old rural Greenwood girl, early Sunday morning. Facing charges is Jeffrey D. Rueth, 19, Rt. 1 Greenwood.

According to officers’ reports, the girl was residing with friends in Greenwood, had stopped at her parent’s home to pick up some clothes and was returning to the city when the accident occurred. As she was headed east on the county highway, the auto collided with the rear of the bicycle. The accident occurred just over a knoll, hampering driver visibility; however, Rueth (the driver) was given a blood alcohol test and was traveling at a high rate of speed at the time of the accident, an officer said.

The girl was riding the bicycle one foot eight inches from the edge of the roadway when she was struck by the auto’s extreme right front. Her body first hit the front of the auto; then slammed into the windshield shattering it; passed across the top of the auto; and finally hit the pavement behind the vehicle, sliding nearly 200 feet on the pavement, before coming to a halt. Officers state that the accident was one of the most gruesome they had investigated in a number of years. They added that the body of the girl—was virtually disintegrated in the accident.

Rueths vehicle traveled a total of 900 feet from the point of impact to its final stop in a ditch, up against a power line pole. Rueth was not injured in the accident.

Funeral services for Janet Berres were held Tuesday morning from St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenwood. Burial was made in the parish cemetery, with the Rev. James Lesczynski officiating. The Rinka Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Janet was born December 15, 1963, in Edgar, the deceased was a sophomore in Greenwood High School, arriving in the Greenwood area in 1975, after moving from Athens. She was a member of St. Mary’s parish.

Surviving her are her parents, one sister, Jacquiline, and six brothers, Edward, Jeffrey, Michael, Keith, Steve and David, all at home. Also surviving her are grandparents, Mrs. Mary Berres of Athens and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Momper of Fredonia.