Merle A. Hauan, died 1961

HAUAN, PETERSON, LUND, WESTENDORF

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 4/16/2010 at 05:42:52

Funeral services for Merle A. Hauan were held June 8th at the Linden Lutheran Church, Thompson, with services for the family at 1:30 and services in the church proper at two o'clock. Rev. Norman Tungseth officiating. Burial in Rose Hill cemetery, Thompson. He is survived by a daughter, Colleen, his mother, Mrs. Margaret Hauan, Thompson; a sister, Mrs. Charles (Alice) Westendorf, Mason City; six brothers, Harlon of Scarville; Myron, Lake Mills; James, Minneapolis; Dean, Elk River, Minn.; Ray, Blue Earth, Minn.; Milton, Whittier, Calif.

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Merle Hauan, 46 and Paul Peterson, 23, died of suffocation in an early Sunday morning fire at the Peterson home in Scarville.

Firemen found their bodies near the back door, indicating that they had been awakened by the fire and almost succeeded in making their escape. Dr. C.H. Potter, Forest city, said a cigarette set fire to either some bed clothing or an easy chair. He said the fire "just smouldered" and that everything in the home was badly charred. According to Fire Chief Burnell Smith, the fire was started by an overheated oil stove.

Peterson is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Peterson of east of Scarville. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson and their children, Pamela and Mark had returned from Lake Mills at around one o'clock. Because the baby was ill, they lit the oil burner. Because of smoke and gas from the heater, Mrs. Peterson and children returned to Lake Mills to spend the night at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Engolf Lund. Hauan, who had been working with his brother, Myron, building a new house at Lake Mills, had planned to spend the night with friends in Scarville. They were not home so he decided to spend the night with Peterson. (Mrs. Myron Hauan and Mr. Peterson are brother and sister). The Peterson residence is on main street and formerly housed the telephone switchboard until the system was converted to dial a few years ago. The fire was discovered at four o'clock by a neighbor, Elmer Martinson.

~extracted from various issues of local newspapers, June 1961