Surnames: Stieber, Welch, Lepinksi, Gorsegner, Bergemann, Kutsche, Nelson, Dorn, Marcott, Stegen, Kozlowski, Bremer, Armstrong, Beschta, Gassner, Pech, Schuster, Bahm, Smith, Becker, Stroota, Zillmann

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 11/17/1949

Stieber, Roman #2 (1 May 1896 - 12 Nov. 1949)

The Colby community was shocked by a tragedy which occurred Saturday morning at 9:30 o’clock. Roman Stieber, proprietor of the hardware store here and one of the aldermen of the second ward, was instantly killed when his pickup truck was struck by a south bound freight train east of the city meat market. Stieber was traveling east.

The train, an extra freight No. 211, was bound from Park Falls to Stevens Point and was manned by Engineer Eli Welch and Conductor A. J. Lepinski, both of Stevens Point. They said that the train was traveling at a speed of only about nine miles an hour. It was raining at the time of the collision, and, because of the wet rails, the train could not come to a stop as quickly as usual.

The Stieber truck was pushed about a half-block from the point of impact and was crushed between the engine and a steel traffic signal post. The six-inch post was broken off. The victim, alone in the truck, fell out through the bottom of the cab but was pinned beneath it with his feet still in the cab.

The accident was investigated by Clark county officials - Coroner John Bergemann of Neillsville, Sheriff Ray Kutsche of Neillsville, District Attorney C. E. Gorsegner of Greenwood and Traffic Officer Wm. D. Nelson of Owen. They selected a coroner’s jury of Abbotsford people who will hold an inquest this Thursday afternoon. The jury consists of Lowell Dorn, Vern Marcott, Vern Stegen, Bill Kozlowski, John Bremer, Jr., and Don Armstrong.

Mr. Stieber had recently sold his hardware store to D. C. Gregory of Brookfield, Ill., and it had been arranged that Gregory take possession about January 1, 1950.

Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at St. Mary’s Catholic church, Rev. N. B. Beschta officiating, and internment was made in St. Mary’s cemetery. Nephews acted as pall bearers and were Alois Stieber, Melvin Stieber, Harold Stieber, Phillip Gassner, Arnold Gassner and Junior Volhard.

Mr. Stieber was born on May 1, 1896, at Marathon City, thus reaching the age of 53 years, six months and 11 days. A veteran of World War I, he was married to Emma Gassner at Marathon City on April 29, 1918. They operated a tavern there for two years and then he conducted a blacksmith business for nine years. They moved to Colby February 10, 1929, when he and A. Stroota purchased the Zillmann hardware store. After the death of Mr. Stroota, he purchased his partner’s interest. Two years ago, he built the Stieber Locker plant in Colby, Wis.

Mr. Stieber was a member of the Holy Name Society of St. Mary’s church, a member of the Colby Chamber of Commerce and one of the aldermen of the second ward. He was prominent in civic affairs, and, being of a congenial disposition, he had many friends who were sorry to hear of his death. In fact, a dark gloom spread over the whole community when it was whispered from one to another Saturday that "Stieber was killed by a train."

Surviving are his wife and four grown children - Michael, Joe and David of Colby and Mrs. Joe Pech, Jr., of Unity. Also three brothers and six sisters - Ruby Stieber of Marathon; Alfred Stieber of Wausau, Fred Stieber of Wausau, Mrs. Louie Lyons of Wausau, Mrs. Joe Schuster, Mrs. Joe Schuster, Mrs. Felix Bahm, Mrs. Lena Smith, Mrs. Ed Becker, all of Milwaukee and Mrs. Conrad Kleinschmidt of Merrill.