Obit: Kops, Wallace #2 (1905 - 1935)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: KOPS MESSER PURKIS LARSON KURTH JOHNSON HUDSON

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 09/26/1935

Kops, Wallace #2 (7 May 1905 - 21 Sept. 1935)

Wallace Kops, age thirty, farmer residing just north of Unity, was drowned Saturday evening at about 6:30 o’clock in Prairie lake, near Chetek, where he was fishing with four companions, namely - Alvah Messer, Loraine Purkis, Floyd Purkis, all of Unity, and Frank Purkis of Oak Park, Ill., who was visiting relatives at Unity.

The accident happened at about 6:30 P.M. Saturday. One boat, occupied by the Purkis boys, had gone ashore and the second boat, containing Messer and Kops, was headed toward the landing when Kops fell into the water. It is believed Kops fainted, causing him to fall from the boat. He was caught by the foot by Messer but the latter was unable to get him back into the boat. Messer’s cries for help were unanswered for some time.

When rescuers arrived, they began to drag the bottom of the lake. Operations were continued until 10 P.M. and were resumed early Sunday morning. A professional diver failed to locate the body and the dragging was resumed. At 4:00 P.M. Sunday the body was recovered.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Zion Lutheran church in Colby, Rev. O. Hoffmann officiating, and internment was made in the Colby cemetery.

The deceased is survived by his widow, who was Miss Minnie Larson until her marriage to Kops a little more than a year ago; his mother, Mrs. Herman Kops; three brothers, Herman of Madison; Lester of Granton; Norman, at home; four sisters, Mrs. Elsie Purkis of Unity, mother of Loraine and Floyd, who were members of the fishing party; Mrs. Arthur Kurth of Granton; Mrs. Gustave Johnson of Spencer; Mrs. Roy Hudson of Unity.

Mr. Kops was born at Unity May 7th, 1905, and was a resident there all his life. He was married on June 30, 1934, to Miss Minnie Larson at Ironwood, Mich. The couple lived on a farm about a mile and one-half north of Unity.