Voigt, Marlin - 1927-1953

VOIGT, NELSON

Posted By: Linda Vander Linden-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/28/2015 at 10:49:40

Hawarden Independent, June 25, 1953

Funeral services for Marlin Voigt, 25, whose death last Friday was attributed by the county coroner to strangulation by drowning in the swimming pool north of here, were conducted at the Barnard Funeral Home, Monday morning by Rev. O.F.W. Pittack, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Mr. Voigt, who recently was elected assistant high school coach here, was acting as life guard, at the pool when he dove into four feet of water and failed to come up.

Four youths who helped pull him out of the pool began to administer artificial respiration. They are: Jerry Vande Berg, Kenneth Bode, Robert Schoeppler and Larry Cain.

With the aid of a physician and a sailor, Garlan Schoenrock, they continued to attempt to revive Mr. Voigt for about 40 minutes. The Hawarden fire department also was called to the pool.

There were no marks or broken bones to indicate that he had struck a foreign objects in the water. An autopsy performed Saturday night failed to uncover any other reasons for the death and the official report was turned in as "strangulation by drowning".

Youths at the pool said they did not immediately pull Mr. Voigt out of the water because they at first thought he was attempting to stay under as long as he could without breathing. There was about a cup of water in his lungs.

Following services here for Mr. Voigt, the body was taken to Albert Lea, MN. Services were conducted in Grace Lutheran Church in Alden, MN, with Rev. Howard Rice, assisted by Rev. Harold E. Peterson officiating. Committal was in the Alden cemetery.

Marlin Francis Voigt was born September 3, 1927 to Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Voigt of Alden. In 1945 he was graduated from Alden high school as the highest ranking student and received a scholarship, awarded by the State Council of Minnesota colleges for attendance at any one of 12 designated church colleges.

He married Wilma Nelson of Alden on August 22, 1948. Surviving are his wife, Wilma and one son Martin Francis, Jr. his parents Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Voigt of Alden, MN, 3 brothers, Mervon of Portland, OR, Melvin of Wells, MN and Hilbert in the U.S. Army in Korea; 3 sisters: Mrs. Melva Pierce of St. Paul, Mrs. Marvina Segar of Wells, MN and Ladonna Voigt still at home and a senior in high school.

NOTE: Obit does not include his college dates and times, or his history in the service, or his times in school district programs.