| Notes |
- Stephen Peeters
526 Vanden Broek St., Little Chute
Age 72, passed away at 5 p.m. Thursday after a lingering illness. He was born September 15, 1892 in Little Chute. He was postmaster at Little Chute for 14 years; retired Outagamie County Register of Deeds, which he had served for 26 years; an organizer of the Little Chute Band; a member of the Holy Name Society, St. John's Catholic Church, Little Chute; the F.O.E., Appleton, an officer in the Historic Society of Outagamie County; a member of the Golden Agers, Little Chute and had been a resident of Little Chute his entire life. Mr. Peeters is survived by his wife, Dina; two daughters, Mrs. Earl (Lucille) Schuler and Mrs. Ernest (Ann) Verstegen, both of Little Chute; four sons, Carl, Appleton; Eugene, Dominic and Mark, all of Little Chute; three brothers, Joseph, Winoski, Vt.; Richard, Appleton; Paul, Neenah; six sisters, Mrs. Carl (Margaret) Falstrom, Woodbury, Ore; Mrs. Leslie (Lorraine) Holzer, Appleton; Mrs. Leonard (Geraldine) Romenesko, Kimberly; Mrs. Frank (Minnie) Weyenberg, Mrs. Sylvester (Barbara) Vandenberg, Mrs. John (Prudence) Ebben, all of Little Chute; 30 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. John's Catholic Church. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. The Rev. Martin Vosbeek will officiate. Friends may call at the Verkuilen Funeral Home, Little Chute after 2 p.m. Friday. Rosary will be prayed at 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
- Monday Evening, October 5th , 1942
2 HUNTERS GET LOST; SPENT
WET NIGHT IN WOODS NEAR SHIOCTON
It made a miserable picture. The two lost, rain-soaked duck hunters, huddled close together in a make-shift shelter before a smokey fire which fought valiantly to keep alive among wet twigs and limbs. The rain of more than five hours had stopped, but cold water seeped through the scanty wind-break and dripped upon the two dejected looking figures. A spine-chilling wind rustled and cut through the wet leaves, other night noises seemed more weird because of the total darkness.
From time to time one of the huddled figures would rise and disappear into the darkness, he could be heard by the other feeling about for more twigs and branches for the fire.
The two hunters, Stephen M. Peeters Outagamie County Register of Deeds, and Stanley Staidl, Appleton Attorney, had built their shelter and fire after darkness made it impossible to leave the woods where they had been hunting in the public hunting grounds near Shiocton.
They had reached a grassy knoll, surrounded by marsh filled waist deep with water, just as total darkness descended. With the darkness came the rain and during the hours that followed the men had to battle the elements to keep the fire from being extinguished .
No Smoking
There was no comforting puffing of a cigarette, as the heavy rain had soaked through the men's heavy clothing and made the "fags" a pulpy mass.
For a time hope for a quick rescue flared when the pair saw searchlights brighten the sky. The nimrods shot off eight or nine shells, but the wind was in the wrong direction and the searchers apparently did not hear them. Another box of shells could not be shot because the cartridges were wet and had swelled.
The hunters had gone into the woods in the afternoon and had waited until dusk to get the birds coming in. However, when they began to depart, darkness descended like a huge cloak, inking out everything more than a foot away from the men.
They managed to make their fire with the last match that " Stub" Peeters had.
A search for the men was started at midnight when they failed to return and a report was made to Sheriff Fred Frank. The coast guard auxiliary was contacted and a number of men joined neighbors and friends of the missing men for the search. County highway police also were called into action. A couple hunters experienced in woodlore and familiar with the area in which the hunters were missing also prepared to assist the searchers.
Use Searchlights
Huge searchlights were played over the wooded area after searchers found the hunter's automobile. Car horns were blown Shots were fired.
The two hunters, however, dared not risk plunging into the deep swamp water beyond their isle of safety. The fear of walking open eyed into a low hanging bow or bush also stayed with them.
About 4 o'clock in the morning the searchers decided to discontinue the hunt for the men until daylight. The lost men watched the flares disappear shivered and huddled closer to the fire which was giving inadequate warmth against the raw wind.
About 7 o'clock this morning the men began their trek out of the woods. After a few minutes they met two early morning hunters who gave them directions for the shortest way from the woods.
A few minutes later they crossed an open field and were on County Trunk M. They then realised that they had walked from their car to within a block of the far side of the woods.
Although Stadil could not be reached for confirmation today, a report being circulated stated he got a ducking a week ago when his boat tipped over while he was hunting.
Oh, yes. The hunters got three ducks.
Typed by Lisa Peeters
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1892 - 1965 (72 years)
