Surnames: Free, Tracy, Tormey, Gibla?, Meyers, waters, St. Thomas, Zimmerman, McCalvey, Babcock

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 02/15/1951

Free, Richard P. #2 (12 JUL 1885 - 11 FEB 1951)

This community was saddened Sunday when it was learned that Richard Percival Free had died suddenly at his home of a heart attack.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock from the Griebenow Funeral Parlors with Dr. K. O. Crosby of St. Katherine’s Episcopal Church, Owen, officiating. Serving as pallbearers were Clinton Alberts, Minus Munson, Julius Pralguske, Frank Tormey, Art Stewart and Cecil Looker. Burial was made in the family lot at a cemetery at Neillsville, Wis.

Mr. Free had gotten up Sunday morning feeling perfectly normal and assisted his daughter, Mrs. C. L. Tormey, with the washing. Later in the afternoon he remarked about what a beautiful day it was and thought he would go out to his garage and putter around, that was about three p.m. It was shortly after 4 p.m. that his son-in-law found him dead when he went to the garage to see what he was doing. He was 65 years of age.

Richard Percival Free was born July 12, 1885 at Neillsville (Clark Co.), Wis. where he spent his entire boyhood and received his schooling. He was united in marriage to Agnes Tracy at Neillsville on July 23, 1907. The couple was blessed with three children, all of whom survive him, one son, William of Milwaukee, and two daughters, Mrs. J. M. (Mary) Gibla?, Tacoma, Wash.; and Mrs. C. L. (Aleda) Tormey, Withee.

He and his family moved from Neillsville to Withee six years after marriage, coming here in 1912. For 30 years he served the community as a rural mail carrier out of the Withee Post Office, retiring in October of 1943. He still maintained an active membership in the Rural Letter Carriers Association and had served the village of Withee as its assessor for the past two years.

His sudden departure is mourned, in addition to this widow and children, by five sisters, Mrs. M. L. (Helen) Meyers, Neillsville; Mrs. W. (Beatrice) Waters, Humbird; Mrs. G. F. (Mae) St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.; Mrs. H. F. (Ruth) Zimmerman,, Madelia, Minn.; and Mrs. R. (Marian) McCalvey, Pequecot Lakes, Minn.; Mrs. R. D. (Beth) Babcock, Coffeeville, Kansas; two brothers, Thomas, Neillsville and George, Hamilton, Montana and three grandchildren.

Mr. Free had been a very ambitious energetic and active person in all types of work he undertook. He was a kind loving husband, father and grandfather, an honest friend and good neighbor, who will be sadly missed from his home and community.