Surnames: Ewert, Gustafson, Lynn, Cameron, Diehn, Duesenberg, Siegrist, Carlson, Wagner, Goetz, Kohlbeck, Merkel, Thieme, Koehler, Fowler, Stammer, Multerer, Brehm, Hildgardt, Figurine

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Tuesday, 4 Sept. 1984

Gustafson, Esther (9 Oct. 1906 - 2 Sept. 1984)

Four Persons Die in Two-Car Crash

MEDFORD, WIS. - Four people, two from this area, were killed Sunday night in a Taylor County accident.

Seymour and Esther Gustafson, of Pacomia, Calif.; Margaret Lynn, Unity; and Dora Ewert, Colby, all 77, were killed when their car collided with another auto at Taylor County trunks A and C about five miles east of Stetsonville.

The accident occurred at 7:10 p.m. The four victims were pronounced dead at the scene by Vinoo Cameron, Taylor County medical examiner.

According to Taylor County authorities, an auto driven by Gustafson was northbound on C and failed to observe a stop sign at the intersection with A. An auto driven by Dominic Diehn, 57, Ladysmith, was westbound on A and collided with the Gustafson vehicle.

One vehicle struck a utility pole, breaking it and an electrical wire. The surrounding area was without power until after 1 a.m.

Diehn and his wife, Geraldine A. Diehn, 56, Ladysmith, and another passenger, Angela Figurine, 3, Ladysmith, were taken by ambulance to Memorial Hospital of Taylor County. Both Diehns were reported in stable condition today. Figurine was treated and released.

A total of 15 persons were killed in accidents during the long Labor Day weekend in Wisconsin. The deaths raised the state’s 1984 traffic fatality toll to 504 today compared with 484 at the same time last year. The four deaths brought Taylor County’s total to nine.

Services for Mrs. Ewert will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Unity, with the Rev. Timothy A. Duesenberg officiating. Burial will be in the Town of Brighton Cemetery.

Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today at the Rux Funeral Home, Colby, Wis.

The former Dora Siegrist was born Dec. 25, 1896 in Marathon County, a daughter of the late Jacob and Ida (Franke) Siegrist, and received her education in Unity schools.

On Oct. 30, 1916 she was married to Henry Ewert. He survives. The couple farmed in the Town of Unity and Mrs. Ewert was active in the Unity Garden Club, Unity Homemakers and Senior Citizens.

She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, and is also survived by two sons, Arlyn of Spencer, and Roderick of Wauwatosa; one daughter, Ruth of Chippewa Falls; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Frank Siegrist of Colby; one step-brother, Lester Ewert of Marshfield; and one step-sister, Elsie Carlson of Unity, Wis.

She was predeceased by three brothers.

Services for Mrs. Lynn will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Rux Funeral Home, Colby, Wis. The Rev. Robert Wagner of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Colby, will officiate. Burial will be in the Town of Brighton cemetery.

Visitations will be after 3 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

The former Margaret Goetz was born April 27, 1906 in Auburndale, a daughter of the late Louis and Monica (Hildgardt) Goetz. She was married to the late Joseph Kohlbeck. On Oct. 23, 1950 in Milwaukee she was married to Sheldon Lynn. He survives.

Mrs. Lynn was a member of the Brighton Homemakers.

Surviving besides her husband are three sons, Roger Kohlbeck of Dayton, Ohio, Joseph Kohlbeck of Minocqua and George Kohlbeck of Schiller Park, Ill.; one daughter, Bernice Merkel of Marshfield; one step-son, Rudy Lynn of Spencer; 27 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, and four brothers, Joseph Goetz of Columbus City, Ind., Edward and William Goetz, both of Marshfield, and George Goetz of Auburndale.

She was also predeceased by one son, one step-daughter, six brothers, and four sisters.

Services for Mr. and Mrs. Gustafson will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Unity, Wis. The Rev. Timothy A. Duesenberg will officiate. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery in California.

Visitation will be after 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Rux Funeral Home, Colby, Wis.

Seymour Gustafson was born Sept. 12, 1906 in the Town of Brighton, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Gustafson and received his education in Unity schools. He was a patrolman for the Town of Brighton for 40 years.

Mrs. Gustafson, the former Esther Thieme, was born Oct. 9, 1906 in Curtiss, a daughter of the late Fred and Bertha (Koehler) Thieme, and received her education in schools there.

Mr. and Mrs. Gustafson were married in May of 1932 in Curtiss. After retiring the couple lived in Unity before moving to California.

They are survived by one daughter, Arlene Fowler, and one son, Allan Gustafson, both of North Hollywood, Calif.; and four grandchildren.

Mrs. Gustafson is also survived by four brothers, Franklin Thieme of Colby, Adolph and Raymond Thieme, both of Jefferson, and Arnold Thieme of Racine, and three sisters, Rose Stammer of Jefferson, Lorraine Multerer of Marshfield and Helen Brehm of Colby, Wis.

She was predeceased by two brothers and one sister. Mr. Gustafson was predeceased by one sister.