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Bio: Adler, Michael James (Birth - 1977)

Transcriber: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Surnames: Adler, Syth

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 12/29/1977

Adler, Michael James (Birth - 1977)

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Adler are the parents of a son, Michael James, born December 8 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield. He joins two brothers. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Reynold Syth of Greenwood.

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Obit: Engevold, Kevin (1961- 2024)

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

Surnames: Engevold

----Source: Gesche Funeral Home (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/21/2024

Engevold, Kevin (5 July 1961 – 12 June 2024)

Kevin Engevold, age 62 of Granton, WI died on June 12, 2024.
A private Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Online Condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.

 
Gesche Funeral Home and Cremation Service is assisting Kevin's family with Funeral arrangements.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kevin Engevold, please visit our flower store.

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Obit: Gibson, Elizabeth “Bettie” (1944 - 2024)

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

Surnames: Gibson, Frye, Neely, Conrad, Greenlee, Rivera

----Source: Gesche Funeral Home (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/24/2024

Gibson, Elizabeth (Bettie” (6 September 1944 – 24 June 2024)

Elizabeth "Bettie" Gibson, age 79, of Neillsville, formerly of St. Louis, MO, died Monday, June 24, 2024, at her home on Fairground Avenue.

Elizabeth Frye Neely was born on September 6, 1944, in Chattanooga, TN, the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Frye) Neely. She was raised and lived in St. Louis, MO, where she worked for Ozark Air Lines and Medline, a medical supply company, for ten years. Bettie was united in marriage to Norman Claud Gibson on February 15, 1964, in St. Louis, MO. They owned and operated a bus company in Chicago, IL, before they became over the road truck drivers, driving as a team they covered all 48 of the continental states.

She is survived by her husband, Norman, three children, Norman "Dusty" Gibson of Neillsville, William C. (Diane) Gibson of Round Lake, IL, and Christine (Trent) Conard of Elgin, IL, seven grandchildren, Melody Greenlee, Kilani Conard, Symphony Greenlee, Alexandra Gibson, Samantha Gibson, Chase Gibson and Cameron Gibson, one great grandson, Antonio Rivera, and a brother, William Neely of Florida. She was preceded in death by her parents.

No services are planned at this time.

Online Condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.  The Gesche Funeral Home is assisting Bettie's family.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Elizabeth Gibson, please visit our flower store.

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Obit: Jablonicky, Donald E. Sr.(1935 - 2024)

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

Surnames: Jablonicky, Miller, Treeck, Jablonicky, Yaron, Hanson

----Source: Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home (Colby, Clark Co., WI) 6/22/2024)

Jablonicky, Donald E. Sr. (15 November 1935 – 6 June 2024)

Donald E. Jablonicky, Sr., age 88, of Colby, passed away on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at Clark County Rehabilitation and Living Center under the tender care of Heartland Hospice.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 20 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Unity. The Rev. Teri Hanson will officiate. Family and friends are welcome from 10:00 a.m. until time of service all at the church.

Don was born on November 15, 1935, the son of Edward and Inga (Miller) Jablonicky in North Chicago, IL. He graduated from Waukegan Township High School in 1953.

Don was united in marriage to Joanne Van Treeck on April 21, 1956. They moved to New Jersey where he was a purchaser for JC Penney. In 1971, they purchased a dairy farm in Unity and farmed until 1998. Joanne preceded him in death on April 28, 2022.

Don liked to play golf, bridge and go to the casino.

Don is survived by three children: Mark (Vickie) Jablonicky of Pewaukee, Lance Jablonicky of Colby and Denise Yaron of Colby; 11 grandchildren and one brother, Thomas Jablonicky of Colby; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Joanne; his son, Donald, Jr. and son-in-law, Steven Yaron.

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Obit: Kops, Shari Kay (1961 - 2024)

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

Surnames: Kops, Kilty, Smart, Widmer, Fleischman, Plaskey, Abel, Zassenhaus, Laessig

----Source: Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home (Owen, Clark Co., WI) 6/23/2024)

Kops, Shari Kay (18 November 1961 – 19 June 2024)

Shari Kay Kops, 62, Owen, formerly of Weston, passed away on June 19, 2024. A private family service will be held.

Shari was born November 18, 1961, to Richard and Sharon (Kilty) Kops, the oldest of their 7 children. She grew up in Unity on the family farm. Shari attended Colby Schools, then graduated from Loyal High School in 1983. After graduation, Shari moved to Cherokee to be with her loving Grandma Lillie who was an incredible influence in her life. They spent a good many years together before Shari moved to the Wausau area.

Even though Shari was disabled since childhood, she loved to work and had a very strong work ethic. She took pleasure in socializing with the staff and looked forward to her weekly paychecks to spend at Shopko for the latest fashions and a lunch out at Annie’s or McDonald’s.

Shari enjoyed keeping busy with crafts, was active with bowling and church groups in her younger years, and she absolutely adored children. She cherished time spent with family, especially her frequent visits with her sister Darcy who always made sure to bring a child or two to brighten Shari’s day. Axle, Aurora, Anayah, and baby Ameer were always happy to visit with her and give the attention and snuggles she needed. Shari was a proud Aunt of 17 and Great-Auntie to another 17 children.

She had a kind soul and a heart of gold, even then she wasn’t afraid to offer up a Knuckle Sandwich if you interrupted some of her favorite shows, Hee Haw, Lawrence Welk, and Bob Barker on The Price Is Right was among her favorites.

Shari was preceded in death by her parents- Sharon (Kilty) Smart and Richard Kops, step father- Donald Smart, brother Rick Kops, grandparents- Lester and Lillie (Widmer) Kops, Donald and Virginia (Fleischman) Kilty, and numerous aunts and uncles.

Shari leaves behind her sister Darcy (James) Plaskey, who had been her art and fashion dealer, baby supplier, and legal guardian for the past decade, as well as other siblings, Donald Kops, Tara (Joyce) Abel, Noelle Kops, and Matthew (Jenna) Kops, aunts Sandy Zassenhaus and Darlene Andre and long-time family friend Rose Laessig.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Shari, please visit our Tree Store.

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Obit: Krivitz, Phyllis K. (1936 - 2024)

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

Surnames: Krivitz, Lucowicz, Olson, Cooper, Knickerbocker, Ganz

----Source: Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home (Colby, Clark Co., WI) 6/25/2024)

Krivitz, Phyllis K,.(8 June 1936 – 23 June 2024)

Phyllis K. Krivitz, age 88, of Colby, passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2024, at Colonial Health and Rehabilitation in Colby under the tender care of St. Croix Hospice.

A private family Mass will be held.

Phyllis was born on June 8, 1936, the daughter of Byron and Ruby (Lucowicz) Olson in Colby. She graduated from Colby High School and received a B.S. degree in Nursing from St. Joseph Nursing Program. Phyllis worked as nurse for St. Joseph’s Hospital for many years.

Phyllis loved being a nurse. She also enjoyed playing games and especially loved being with her family.

Phyllis is survived by her three children: Laurie (Brian Cooper) Krivitz, Kathy (Sterling) Knickerbocker and Kurt (Renae) Krivitz; four grandchildren: Brandon Krivitz, Claire Krivitz, Rachel Knickerbocker and John Knickerbocker. She is further survived by her brother, Roger (Jean) Olson; other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Gloriette Ganz.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Phyllis, please visit our Tree Store.

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Obit: Schmidt, Joan Kathleen (1938 - 2024)

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

Surnames: Schmidt, Szczech, Gutowski, Famiyeh

----Source: Cuddie Funeral Home (Greenwood, Clark Co., WI) 6/24/2024

Schmidt, Joan Kathleen (21 April 1938 – 20 June 2024)

Joan K. Schmidt, 86, of Thorp, peacefully passed away at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, on June 20, 2024, leaving behind a legacy filled with love, laughter, and an impressive number of hand-written letters.

Joan Kathleen Gutowski was born on April 21, 1938, in Stanley, to Charlie J. and Bernice E. (Szczech) Gutowski. Joan, who married her sweetheart Clifford “Cliffy” Schmidt on June 1, 1957, at Old St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Thorp, knew how to balance a full life. Together, they raised four wonderful children: Jim, Kay, Dennis, and Roger, and became the doting grandparents to numerous grandkids who will always remember her fondly.

Joan started high school in Thorp, and then transferred to and graduated from Stanley High School. After getting married and having children, she attended school in Stevens Point for a full year to fulfill her dream of becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Joan’s nursing career at Stanley Hospital spanned longer than most doctors’ tenures, and she was a familiar, comforting face for countless patients. When she wasn’t in the hospital, she was on the family farm, where she and Cliffy worked side by side, proving that love and teamwork make the dream work.

She had a creative side, too. Her pottery and ceramics were as much a staple in her home as her famous Rice Crispy treats, chocolate chip cookies, and fresh strawberry jam. Joan’s quilting skills produced blankets that wrapped many in warmth and love, much like her generous spirit.

A woman of many talents, Joan had an uncanny ability to always have pocket Aces when playing cards, a skill she often showcased during family game nights. Her passion for kids shone through in her volunteer work at local schools, the city of Thorp, and her church, where her kindness touched many lives.

Joan’s friends and family were never far from her thoughts, and she was known for her extensive card-sending list, bringing smiles and warmth to many who needed it. Her letters, always signed “Just Us,” were a cherished part of her
legacy.

Her children and grandchildren have a treasure trove of memories: summer swimming and ice cream cone trips to Rock Dam, catching fireflies, winter sledding adventures, and spontaneous bridge-fishing trips at local creeks with Disney-themed mini-fishing poles. These outings often culminated in a delicious fish-fry prepared by Joan, demonstrating her knack for turning simple moments into cherished traditions.

Joan lived a life rich in love, laughter, and an unwavering commitment to those she cared about. Her thoughtful nature, culinary delights, and heartwarming blankets will be remembered and cherished by all who were lucky enough to know her. As we say goodbye, we find comfort in knowing that she’s now holding pocket Aces at the great card table in the sky.

She is survived by her spouse, Cliffy Schmidt; children: Jim (Kathy) Schmidt, Kay Schmidt, Dennis Schmidt; 10
grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren; nieces, nephews, Godchildren, other relatives, and friends.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, her daughter Karen Schmidt, and son Roger Schmidt.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Thorp, with Rev. Emmanuel Famiyeh officiating. Visitation will be held at the church on Wednesday from 9 a.m. until time of service.

In lieu of gifts or flowers you may have a tree planted in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

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News: Loyal - EMT marks 50th anniversary with organization (2024)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Thomas, Zettler

----Source: TRG (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 26 Jun 2024

By Cheyenne Thomas

If there’s one thing Judy Zettler believes is an integral part of the life of an EMT, it’s commitment. The role of being an EMT has its fair share of challenges and work involved, but it’s a role Zettler wouldn’t exchange for anything. She had proven that dedication to volunteering by recently reaching 50 years as a member of the Loyal Emergency Medical Services crew.

Zettler was congratulated for reaching the milestone on June 5, when she was surprised by friends and fellow EMT crew members both past and present at a celebration at Rumor’s Supper Club in downtown Loyal. In recognition of her achievement, Zettler was presented with a plaque to commemorate the milestone. The celebration came as a surprise to her, as she hadn’t expected so many members of the Loyal EMT family to come.

“Every few years we have a get-together of the crew and have a night out,” she said about how the event came to be. “They told me about doing that and I thought, ‘That is nice; we haven’t done one in a while.’ I fell for it hook, line and sinker.”

Zettler has seen quite a bit of change for the Loyal EMTs since she first became a member. The Loyal Ambulance Service was founded in 1972 and two years after its founding, she and another female EMT were the first ones to take the training course from Loyal and become members of the group.

“That was kind of a strange thing,” she said about how she first decided to become an EMT. “At my former place of employment, someone got hurt one day and they called the ambulance. I saw it and thought, ‘Hmm, very interesting.’ Later, one of the EMTs came up to me and asked, ‘Why don’t you consider doing this?’” So she did consider it and took the course, becoming a member of the Loyal EMS in 1974. In those early days of the service, Zettler said there were some stark differences between how things were run and the equipment they had available compared to what they have today.

“Compared to what it is now, we had very limited equipment,” she said. “In those days, we had the basics of oxygen and being able to tell blood pressure. It was basically enhanced first aid. Now it’s a whole lot more different. It became a lot more advanced. There’s a lot more equipment now and you have to take a lot of refresher courses to keep up to date with all the equipment.”

Even the ambulances were different. “Our first ambulance was I believe a Dodge van,” she said. “There was a lot of ‘get up and go’ on that one; let me tell you. They evolved into getting bigger and better and they’re quite different now than what we were driving around in 1974.”

For the first 23 years of her time as an EMT, Zettler worked on the front lines on emergency calls, helping to deliver first aid and stabilize patients in need. But, being from a small town like Loyal, she said it became harder over the years to directly interact with patients, as many of them were people she personally knew.

“Being in a small town, I have lived here my whole life,” she said. “As the years went by, you knew every-one. At 23 years of being an EMT, I wanted to back off. I said, ‘I will drive, but I don’t want to have contact with the patient.’ They said, ‘That’s fine, we need a driver.’” Since then, Zettler has driven the ambulance. Day or night, Zettler has continued to respond to service calls and drive the Loyal ambulance to the sites where an emergency occurred and to the hospital where a patient receives the help they need. Zettler said the work itself has always been fulfilling, as helping the people who live in the community makes the area a good place to live.
“It’s a big commitment, but it’s very much needed and very fulfilling,” she said. “I guess I just have this desire to help people and this is a good way to put that desire to use. I don’t know if I have any specific calls that are a favorite, but each one is special. We’re there to do one thing and that is to help a person go to get help and further medical treatment.”

Besides helping others, Zettler said the family aspect of the EMTs is what also makes being a member so special. There is always a need for more volunteers to join, she said, and if anyone ever has the desire to help others through their most challenging times of life, then perhaps they should consider joining the family.

“We never have had a big group,” she said. “We could always be bigger and could use more hands. But we kind of have a family with our little group. We’re there for each other in the good times and the bad. We form a very special bond with the people we’re working with. If there’s anyone out there that has a desire to help others, consider joining the EMTs and contacting them.”

Reflecting on her 50 years of service and what comes next, Zettler said she never imagined her decision to help others would continue to be a part of her life even at this point. But it’s not something she wants to shy away from, and she said she will continue to drive ambulance for the Loyal EMTs as long as everyone is comfortable with her behind the wheel.

“I have a hard time wrapping my head around it,” she said. “I didn’t know when I started 50 years ago that I would still be doing it 50 years later. I told the crew that if I get to the point where I’m not comfortable with driving or if they don’t think that I should be driving, that they should tell me. I will not be offended.”

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Bio: Lindner, Gary & Brenda - Host Greenwood Dairy Breakfast (30 Jun 2024)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Thomas, Lindner

----Source: TRG (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 26 Jun 2024

By Cheyenne Thomas

Back in 2011, when Gary and Brenda Lindner last hosted the Greenwood Dairy Breakfast, they remember the rain the area got that year. Thirteen years later, as they host the breakfast for the second time, the rain once again has returned, but it shouldn’t stop everyone heading out to the Greenwood Dairy Breakfast from having a good time.

The 27th annual Greenwood Dairy Breakfast will be held at the Lindner Brothers Farm at W4414 Spencer Road north of Loyal, this Sunday, June 30. The event is sponsored by the Greenwood FFA Alumni and the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and will be held from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. that day.

Gary and Brenda Lindner are the third generation living on the farm, which was started by Gary’s grandparents Casper and Marie with 5 acres back in 1927. The couple ran and grew the farm until 1962 when they sold it to their sons, Art and Laverne. The farm operated under the name of “Lindner Brothers,” a name it still carries today in honor of the work they did in their 35 years of farming together.

While the brothers ran the farm, they both raised their families and had their children attend school in Greenwood. Gary graduated from Greenwood High School in 1991, while his wife, Brenda, who also grew up locally on a farm, graduated from Greenwood High School in 1997. In 1997, Laverne retired from his part of running the farm’s operations and that is when Art’s son Gary stepped up to take his place. He and Brenda were married in 2004 and have since raised three children, Levi, 18, Tysen, 17, and Ross, 13.

While they have continued to work on the farm and raise their family, the Lindners have had a few changes to their farm since the last time they hosted in 2011. A fire in 2015 burned down the stall barn that used to stand on their property and so they built a free stall barn across the road for their cows. Gary and Brenda said the switch to a free stall barn has been a good one for their 280 milking cow herd, one they do not regret.

“We changed it to a free stall barn for the cow comfort,” said Gary. “They cows last longer and they are much happier.”

In addition to the milking herd, the Lindners also farm 800 acres of land, owning 600 of those acres. They also have two full-time employees and two part-time employees who help work on the farm along with members of the extended family who come out every year to help with harvesting crops, including Gary’s father Art, who still helps out.

The Lindners decided to host the dairy breakfast this year after their children expressed an interest in hosting again. When the family hosted back in 2011, Brenda said the kids were too young to really remember the event. Now, with their oldest having just graduated from Greenwood High School this spring, they thought it was time to bring the breakfast back to their farm where their children will be able to create some special memories.

“The kids wanted it,” she said. “We hosted it back in 2011 and they don’t really remember it. Levi had his graduation party a few weeks ago so the whole thing turned out perfect. We hope that people will be able to have a good time and enjoy the food and see the neighbors.”

Breakfast includes a meal of regular and potato pancakes, eggs, sausage, cheese curds, applesauce, butter, syrup, milk, juice, coffee, water and soft serve ice cream. The cost of the meal is $8 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5-12 and kids 4 and under eating free.

Besides the meal, there will also be events for the family including kiddie barrel train rides, a petting zoo, face painting, raffles and local crafters
.
To get to the Lindner Brothers farm from Greenwood, first go south on Highway 73 and turn onto Hinker Road. From there, drive a quarter mile and turn north onto Owen Avenue and then east onto Spencer Road for 1.5 miles. From Loyal, drive north a half mile on County Highway K to Spencer Road and turn west. From there, go 1 mile to the farm. Parking at the site will be dependent on field conditions.

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News: Clark Co. – Tourism is Big Business (2024)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Sayers

----Source: TRG (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 26 Jun 2024

Tourism generated $64 million of economic impact in 2023 in Clark County, contributing to Wisconsin tourism’s historic year.

The 2023 economic impact surpassed the previous statewide record of $23.7 billion set in 2022. Clark County also surpassed the previous record of $60 million set in 2022. Statewide, tourism’s historic year was fueled by economic impact growth in all 72 counties, a record number of overnight visitors for a second consecutive year and investments tourism businesses made in goods and services.

Additionally, last year, Clark County tourism supported 346 part- and full-time jobs across various sectors of the industry, part of the more than 178,000 jobs sustained by tourism across the state. Tourism in Clark County also generated $3.3 million in local and state tax revenue. Statewide, tourism generated $1.6 billion in local and state tax revenue in 2023. Without this revenue, each Wisconsin household would pay an additional $660 to maintain the current level of government services.

“Wisconsin tourism powers the economy and strengthens the fabric of communities of all sizes,” said Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers. “The historic impact of tourism reached every corner of Wisconsin and, in doing so, sustained livelihoods for thousands of our friends and neighbors.”

In 2023, Wisconsin welcomed 113 million visits, nearly 2 million more than the previous year. This number includes 45.9 million overnight visits last year — the second consecutive year of record-breaking overnight visitation. Overnight visitors, on average, spend almost three times as much as a day-trip visitor. View the 2023 economic impact data at industry.travelwisconsin.com/research/economic impact/ , including a county-by-county breakdown.

Clark County Economic Development Corporation and Tourism Bureau utilizes many media platforms including a website, Facebook page, website calendar, Travel Wisconsin and more to help promote the county’s many great events, business developments, job opportunities, communities, outdoor recreation, special attractions, history, lodging, food hubs, shopping and so much more. Visit www.clarkcountywi.org  to discover local events.