contributor: Richard LaBrosse

Oconto Falls 

-The sudden and unexpected death of Mrs. Herbert Drews has cast a pall of incredulous sorrow over the entire community. Mrs. Drews died a short time after the car she was driving was struck by one driven by Gerald Fletcher of Green Bay on Saturday afternoon, the fatal accident occurring at the intersection of Elmore and Gray streets in that city. She was accompanied by her sister-in-law, Miss Alfreda Drews, 72, also of Oconto Falls, who was injured but is making a satisfactory recovery at Bellin hospital. The ladies were on their way to the hospital to visit another sister-in-law. According to report, Fletcher stated that he applied his brakes when he saw the other car in the intersection. The impact of the collision caused Mrs. Drews to be so severely injured about the head and internally that she died shortly after being admitted to the hospital. Fletcher was treated for shock, and damage to the cars was estimated at well over a thousand dollars.

Mrs. Drews was widely known, having spent all of her life in this section of Wisconsin. She was born Edith Tate, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Tate, on July 14, 1891 at Sniderville, in southern Brown county. Her marriage to Mr. Drews took place in Breed, the ceremony being a double wedding as her twin sister, Ethel, Married Arthur Drews. Brother of Herbert. She is survived by her husband and one son, Merdon, Oconto Falls, and a daughter, Violet, Mrs. Henry Gutoski of Sheboygan Falls; her twin, Mrs. Arthur Drews of DePere, two other sisters, Mrs. Jess Allender of Long Lake, and Mrs. Henry Vose of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and two brothers, Victor and Floyd Tate of Breed. There are five grandchildren. A son died at the age of two years.

Mrs. Drews attended Oshkosh State Teachers College, and was a teacher by profession. She took refresher courses at Oshkosh and St. Norberts when the teacher shortage became acute and has been teaching in the county schools for the past thirteen years, and was the current teacher at the Green Valley School. They have resided in Oconto Falls for a number of years where she took an active interest in all phases of community life. Her active support of her church was marked by a zealous faithfulness which few can equal. She was always deeply interested in education, and gave the Parent Teacher Association and school activities enthusiastic support. She was a member of the Board of Education of the Oconto Falls public school, her second three year term nearly completed. Mrs. Drews operated a restaurant in the Falls for three years. The officers of the Order of the Eastern Star of which Mrs. Drews was a member, conducted their memorial ritual at the John Crooks funeral home on Tuesday evening, which was attended by a large percentage of the membership. She had accepted an office for the coming year and was to have been installed on January 5.

Funeral service were held on Wednesday afternoon at the Methodist church, the Rev. John P. Simon officiating. Mr. and Mrs. Dale Mikkelson of Maple Valley sang "Beyond the Sunset" and "Ivory Palaces" with Mrs. Blaine Peterson at the organ. Burial took place in the Chase cemetery, with Messrs. Eri Sankey, Alfred Garnier, Richard Moss, Sylvester Strblow, Emil Groth and Maurice Monigal serving as pallbearers.

The pupils of the Green Valley School attended the rites in a body, as did the Oconto Falls Board of Education. The many flowers were in charge of Mmes. E.O. Sankey, Alfred Garnier, F.J. Kilmer, Wm. D. Angus, E.J. Shellman and Sterling Bauman.

The passing of this good woman is a distinct loss to the community. Mrs. Drews was not only an enthusiastic supporter of community activites, but led a personal life marked by warm hearted interest in her family, friends and neighbors. Generous and kind, she has left to mourn her untimely passing a multitude of friends who will always remember her for her kindly deeds and friendly disposition. The bereaved family has the heartfelt sympathy of all.