Obit: Bender, Harry #3 (1889 - 1963)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bender, Michals, Nelson, Schmidtbauer, Kanable

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 09/05/1963

Bender, Harry (19 OCT 1889 - 4 SEP 1963)

Harry Bender, 73, of Colby, who had been principal of the Colby schools for 30 years, died of a heart attack at 2 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1963, at St. Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m. at the First Methodist Church at Colby, with the Rev. James Hagen officiating. Burial will be made in the Colby Memorial Cemetery.

The body will lie in state at the Lulloff Funeral Home at Colby.

Harry Bender was born Oct. 19, 1889, at Viola, Wis. He attended grade school and high school at Viola and was a student at La Crosse State College. He received a bachelor of education degree at Stevens Point State College.

He taught grade school for seven years at West Salem, and since 1920 has lived in Colby. He taught in the grade school for one year and then became principal of the district, a position which he held for 30 years. He also taught in the high school, and retired from teaching about three years ago.

He was married to the former Ethel Michals, who survives him.

Mr. Bender was a member of the Colby Chamber of Commerce. He was an officer of his church, the First Methodist Church of Colby, and served as president of the Colby Library Board. Mr. Bender was also active in many other organizations and devoted much of his time to community projects.

Besides his wife, he is survived by a son, Brice Bender of Colby, and two daughters, Mrs. Frank (Betty Jean) Nelson of Decorah, Ia., and Mrs. William (Barbara) Schmidtbauer of Tomahawk. Seven grandchildren and two brothers, George Bender of Medford and Clarence Bender of Munster, Ind. And a sister, Mrs. Hazel Kanable of Richland Center, also survive him.

A sister, who died in infancy, preceded him in death.

Friends who wish to send flowers are asked instead to give the funds for a memorial fund.