Leo Charles Gratzle

  General Notes:

The 1930 Federal Census for Hartford Village, Hartford Township, Van Buren Co., Michigan, District 18 dated April 4, 1930 records Leo C. Gratzle (2 1/3 - Illinois) living with his parents Joseph (41 - Austria/Austria/Austria) and Laura (39 - Illinois/Germany/Germany) Gratzle and siblings Joseph A. (4 11/12 - Illinois) and William J. (1 1/12 - Michigan) living at 5 South Havar Street. Joseph and Laura have been married for 6 years. Joseph is a Mechanic and he immigrated to the U. S. in 1911.

See general notes in Nov 6, 2007 email from John Joseph Gratzle for Don Hunt family details.

http://www.fox17online.com/news/fox17-fatal-farm-accident-in-van-buren,0,5497337.story
Carl Gustin FOX 17 Assignment Editor
9:33 p.m. EDT, August 5, 2011
LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP\emdash An 84-year-old man died in a tractor accident Friday evening in Van Buren County.
Sheriff Dale R.Gribler said that at 5 p.m. Friday deputies from the Van Buren County Sheriff's Department responded to a fatal accident involving a farm tractor at 57531 Butcher Road in Lawrence Township. Their investigation revealed that Leo Gratzle, 84, of Lawrence Township was using a tractor to push fallen tree limbs into a pile on the back portion of his property when at some point a tree trunk approximately 3 feet in diameter fell on Gratzle, striking him in his head.
The tractor then tipped backward on the front end loader bucket with the tractor coming to rest in a vertical position.
When Gratzle's family discovered him they immediately contacted Van Buren Central Dispatch.
Gratzle was taken to the Leonard Funeral Home in Lawrence.


The SSDI records:
Leo C. Gratzle
Last Residence: 49064 Lawrence, Van Buren, Michigan
Born: 2 Apr 1927
Died: 2 Aug 2011
State (Year) SSN issued: Michigan (Before 1951)

Obituary for Leo Charles GRATZLE, Published in Kalamazoo Gazette on September 18, 2011
Age 84
Leo C. Gratzle passed away at his Lawrence Township home on August 2nd, 2011. He was born April 2nd, 1927 in Hartford, Michigan, the second son of Joseph and Laura (Finken) Gratzle. He attended Hartford High School, Class of 1944. Leo served in the U.S. Army from 1950 to 1953 in Germany as a tank crewman and Jeep driver with the 40th Tank Battalion, 4th Division. He moved to Lawrence Township in 1954 and lived there until his death. Twice married, Leo is survived by seven children: Marian Main of Lawrence Township; Laura Crim of San Antonio, Texas; Ann Turner of Lawton, Michigan; Charles "Chuck" Gratzle of Jonesboro, Arkansas; Dorothy Robins of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Cecelia Webb of Raleigh, North Carolina; and John Gratzle of Los Angeles, California. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Leo worked as a machine operator, mechanic, journeyman millwright and tool and die machinist for Studebaker, the Van Buren County Road Commission, Potlatch Paper Corporation, Du-Wel, Incorporated, and Bohn Aluminum. He retired in 1993 to enjoy traveling in his RV visiting family and friends as well as working on farming projects. Leo was an active member of the American Legion for 53 years. Memorials should be sent to the Hess and Eastman American Legion Post 174 in care of Leonard Funeral Home, P.O. Box 144, Lawrence, MI 49064, or to the charity of your choice. Leo will be interred with his parents at Maple Hill Cemetery in Hartford in a private service. A reception will be held from 1 to 3 PM. September 24th at the American Legion Hall 130 East St Joseph Street in Lawrence.

Leo married Georgia Marie Hunt, daughter of Donald Leroy Hunt and Margaret Elizabeth Wood, on 27 Jun 1953 in Hartford, Van Buren Co., Michigan. (Georgia Marie Hunt was born on 28 Jan 1936 in Watervliet, Berrien Co., Michigan and died after Nov 2007 in Hartford, Van Buren Co., Michigan.)

  Marriage Notes:

Leo and Georgia's divorce information comes from an email from John Joseph Gratzle, their son ... see notes on John Joseph Gratzle.