Obit: Whitney, Claude (1896 – 1966) 

Contact: Dinah Reinke

Email: dinah@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Whitney, Smith, Laabs, Hudson, Reyer

------ Source: Tribune-Phonograph (Abbotsford and Colby, Clark Co., Wis.) 03/31/1966

------ Whitney, Claude (26 JUN 1896 – 22 MAR 1966)

Funeral services were held Friday at the Colby Methodist church for Claude Whitney, Colby, who died Tuesday, March 22, at St. Joseph’s hospital, Marshfield.  He was 69 years old.  The Rev. R. James Hagen officiated at the services, which rites at the Colby memorial cemetery.  The Colby Masonic lodge held a memorial service Thursday evening.  Funeral arrangements were followed by VFW graveside attended to by Lulloff Funeral Home, Colby.

Born at Burr Oak, Ia., June 26, 1896, Mr. Whitney came to the Colby area with his parents when he was five years old.  The family settled on a farm in the town of Hull.  His marriage to Harriet Smith took place in 1920.  The couple made their home in Colby ever since, where he worked first as a bookkeeper, then as manager of the Harmony Cooperative Produce Co. until his retirement in 1961.  He served several terms as an alderman on the Colby city council, and eight years as mayor of Colby.  He also served on the board of trustees for the Clark county hospital for over 20 years, of which he was chairman for several years.

He was a veteran of World War I, and a member of the American Legion and the World War I veterans organization.  He was also a member of the Colby Methodist church.

Surviving are his wife, one son, Claude Jr. of Thiensville; one daughter, Mrs. Bernard (Audrey) Laabs of New Ulm, Minn.; six grand children; two brothers, Brayton Whitney of Burr Oak, Ia., and Edsel Hudson of Valley Station, Ky., and one sister, Mrs. Harold (Frances) Reyer, Burlington, Wis.