Shettler, William Edward (1907-1942)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1942 Aug 6 p. 1

Birth date: 1907 Aug 29

text of obituary:

Electric Shock Fatal To Wm. Shettler Of Wellman, Iowa

APPROXIMATELY 2,000 ATTENDED FUNERAL AT EAST UNION MENNONITE CHURCH

Wellman, Iowa. — Approximately 2,000 people attended the funeral services held Friday morning, July 31, at the East Union Mennonite church for W9illiam Shettler, whose tragic death occurred Monday noon, July 27.

Mr. Shettler was blasting rocks at his limestone quarry north of Wellman, using a car battery to set off the charge with a long wire connected to the fuse. As the charge went off the detonator wire was blown over the nearby high line wire, which sent the high-voltage current directly through Mr. Shettler's body.

Nearly 10 minutes elapsed before other workers could shut off the current or ground the wire. Mr. Shettler was rushed to Dr. Miller's office where a several-hours effort to revive him with an inhalator proved unsuccessful.

Rev. Edward Diener had charge of the services at the home and also at the grave.

In his introductory address at the funeral services in the East Union church, Kalona, Rev. Gideon G. Yoder, camp director at Denison, Ia., said, "I have lost the best friend of my youth . . . We prayed together, studied God's Word together and sympathized with each other in all our problems." Other ministers participating in the service were Rev. George Miller and Rev. W. S. Gingerich.

Mr. Shettler was born near Crystal Springs, Kansas, August 29, 1907. He was the son of Edward and Mary (Troyer) Shettler, who with his deeply bereaved wife (Gertrude Hochstetler Shettler) and four children now mourn his too early departure.

Pallbearers were Milton Summers, Lester Reber, Earl R. Gingerich, Ellie Hartzler, Merton Schweitzer, and Lloyd Troyer. Interment was made in East Union cemetery.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1942 Aug 13 p. 3

text of obituary:

WILLIAM SHETTLER

William Edward Shettler, son of Edward and Mary (Troyer) Shettler was born near Crystal Springs, Kans., August 29, 1907, and died at his home near Wellman, Iowa, on July 27, 1942, at the age of 34 years, 10 months, and 28 days.

In 1924 he moved to Iowa with his parents and lived in and around Wellman until his death which was caused by a electric shock after a dynamite blast at limestone quarry near his home.

On December 31, 1931, he was united in marriage to Gertrude Hochstetler of Kalona, Iowa, and to this union were born four children: Joan Lucille 10, Marline Grace 8, James Edward 6, and William Ralph 5.

In his youth he accepted Christ as his Savior, uniting with the Mennonite Church in which faith he died. In the recent past he renewed his covenant with the Lord and received much joy and satisfaction in the service of the Lord as a devoted husband and father and as an ardent church laborer, especially as a Sunday School teacher.

He leaves to mourn his companion; four children; his father and mother; three sisters — Elsie (Mrs. Dennis Miller) of Kalona, Iowa, Verda (Mrs. Edwin Layman) and Grace (Mrs. Austin Miller) of Dayton, Ohio; three brothers — Ernest of Wellman, Earl of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Milford of Wellman; and many relatives and friends.

"The call was sudden, the shock severe,
We little thought that death was near;
And only those who have lost can tell
What parting is without farewell."

"Oh, Daddy, 'tis lonesome without you
And sad is the weary way,
For life is not the same to us,
Since you were called away."

— The Family