Surnames: Kleiber, Pauloweit, Daellenbach, Witt, Lindau, Waldhart, Werner, Ruesch, Wernzenski, Thompson, Steffen, Laabs, Phaneuf, Gosse, Hinke, Watkins

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 08/09/1945

Kleiber, Chester (13 Nov. 1918 - 3 Aug. 1945)

Funeral services for Chester "Bud" Kleiber, 26, who was drowned Friday evening, were held Monday afternoon at the Community Evangelical church at Medford, with the Rev. G. E. Pauloweit officiating. The American Legion participated. The color guard and firing squad were from the Medford post. Burial was made in the Medford cemetery.

The pallbearers were Emil Daellenbach, Julius Witt, Pfc. Norman Lindau, of Abbotsford; William Waldhart, James Werner and Ed Ruesch, of Medford.

Chester Kleiber was born in Medford, Nov. 13, 1918, and was graduated from the Medford high school in 1937. He entered the service in 1942 and received a medical discharge in June, 1943.

He was well known in this community, having been band teacher at the Abbotsford schools the past year.

Mr. Kleiber was a member of Emil’s band, and for the past two years made his home with the Emil Daellenbach family.

On Thursday he accompanied them and Mrs. Daellenbach’s brother, Pfc. Norman Lindau, to Long Lake, near Tripoli, for a week end outing. On Friday evening, at 8:00 o’clock, the tragedy occurred, while they were fishing. Bud and Norman were trolling in one boat and Mrs. Daellenbach with her son, in another boat, was rowing toward them when she heard a splash. Norman had had a strike and Bud stood up in the boat and in some way it capsized.

Bud, who was a good swimmer, struck out for shore and away from the boat which Mrs. Daellenbach was rowing frantically in her effort to reach them.

Seeing that her brother was holding on to the upturned boat, she went to the assistance of Bud, who was calling for help. He is believed to have had a heart attack and he disappeared in the water.

After he failed to reappear Mrs. Daellenbach helped her brother out of the water and towed the boat to shore. When it was righted they found their fishing equipment almost intact. It had been held by the boat seats.

The body of Mr. Kleiber was recovered the next morning in about 20 feet of water.

Among those from Abbotsford who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Emil Daellenbach, Mr. and Mrs. John Daellenbach, F. E. Werzenski, Mrs. M. C. Thompson, Sgt. Maurice Thompson, Mrs. A. L. Witt, Julius Witt, Mrs. Vern Steffen, Mrs. Bernard Laabs, Mrs. G. Phaneuf, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gosse, Vernon Gosse, Mrs. C. V. Hinke and daughter, Joan, and Mrs. Joe Watkins.