Schladetsky, Herman (1872-1958)

SCHLADETSKY

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 3/28/2008 at 14:21:28

Jackson Sentinel
March 21, 1958

Farmer Discovers Remains in Field
Find Body of Man Missing Four Months

The body of an 86-year-old Maquoketa nursing home resident, Herman Schladetsky, missing since last Nov. 20, was found about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in a field less than a quarter mile south of the residence in which he had been living the past six years.

Dr. J. A. Broman of Maquoketa, Jackson county coroner, said the elderly man, last seen about 8 o’clock the night of Nov. 20, probably died of a heart attack. He reported finding no evidence of foul play.

Edward Beidler, who has rented the 18-acre field from Peter Weimerskirch, noticed Schladetsky’s remains. He had gone to the field a short while before with his tractor and power cornstalk cutter. He reported making but one round when he noticed the aged man’s body on its back between two harvested corn rows.

Deputy Sheriff Graham Moyer and Dr. Broman were summoned. Dead man was clad in a red plaid shirt and gray wash trousers – the attire he was wearing when last seen.

Officials theorize Schladetsky very likely died the first night he was reported missing. Field to the south of the Flagel nursing home on West Summit street was “gone over with what we thought was a fine toothed comb,” said Wayne Flagel, nursing home proprietor. For several days after Schladetsky’s wandering off, Sheriff Lorin C. Felderman’s office, with the aid of Boy Scouts and other volunteers, searched fields, timbers and buildings in the Maquoketa vicinity.

The remains were taken to the Dye funeral home at Bellevue, where last rites were held at 2 p.m. Thursday. The Rev. Laurence Nelson, D. D. pastor of the Bellevue Presbyterian church, officiated. Burial was made in the Presbyterian cemetery.

Mr. Schladetsky was born Feb. 9, 1872, in Witzort Province, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.