Joseph F. Happe 1894-1918

HAPPE

Posted By: Joe Conroy (email)
Date: 5/15/2010 at 22:46:41

The Carroll Times
Carroll, Iowa
28 Nov 1918
Page 1

Death of Private Joseph F. Happe

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Happe of this city have received the official notice of the death of their son, Private Joseph F. Happe, member of Company A, 339, Machine Gun Battalion, 88th Division, who died October 22, of spinal meningitis.

Joseph F. Happe was born April 29, 1894, in Arcadia township and attended St. John's school, later moving with his parents to this city. At the time of registration he was employed at Hartington, Nebraska, and left with the Union county quota of troops for Camp Funston, Kansas, on June 28. A little later he was transferred to Camp Dodge, Iowa, and after a short training there, was sent to Camp Upton, New York, and from there to a point of embarkment.

The next news his parents received from him was a cablegram, telling of his safe arrival in England, August 28, and within a remarkably short space of time his letters bore the caption "Somewhere in France." Arriving in France he was taken to a hospital very ill with plural pneumonia, but pulled through this fine, and his last letter written on the sixteenth of October stated that he was back in his company, was feeling fine but said the weather was awful damp and wet out there, and by this his parents judged that he caught a cold which caused his death just six days later.

Joseph represented the highest type of American young manhood, physically, morally and intellectually. He loved his fellowmen and proved his love by service. He never tired of doing acts of love and thoughtfulness for his parents, brothers and sisters and yet in his courteous way he always found ample time to render pleasant little kindnesses to all with whom he came in contact for he carried the riches of God within himself and was a loyal hearted young man.

Church affairs were of unspeakable importance to him, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus which he joined at Hartington, Nebraska.

Besides his parents he leaves six brothers, one in France, the rest in this vicinity, and five sisters, to whom the deepest sympathy of the community is extended in their great sorrow. May they find comfort in the thought that "Great love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his country."