Obituary: Portage County, Wisconsin: Charles L. VAN HECKE 

Gazette, Wed., 
April 7, 1909 

Was Four Score and Six Long and Honorable Lifed Lived by Chas. L. Van Hecke, Whose Funeral Was Held This Morning 

Probably the oldest civil war veteran in Portage county passed away at 2:20 o'clock Monday mornning, when Charles 
L. Van Hecke died at his home, 131 Crooked Way. He had been failing gradually since early last fall, but at no time 
suffered pain. A general breaking down of the system, on account of age, was the cause of death. 

For nearly three weeks the end was momentarily expected, during which time the venerable gentleman had a number of 
sinking spells, and he remained in an unconscious condition for several days. The final dissolution came with no 
perceptible struggle at the hour above stated. 

Bovekerke, Belgium, was the birthplace of Mr. Van Hecke, where he was born Jan. 1, 1823, making him over 86 years 
of age. On May 3, 1853, he was married to Miss Barbara Vuylsteke and a couple of years later they emigrated to this 
country and took up a homestead in the town of Sharon and lived there until 1862, Mr. Van Hecke clearing most of 
the land alone and unaided. 

For a few months in the latter year Mr. Van Hecke was located in Iowa, but on his return here he bought a farm in 
Stockton and this was the family home until the aged couple moved to Stevens Point in 1885. Mr. Van Hecke fought for 
his country's cause during the last ten months of the civil war, enlisting as a member of Co. F, 5th Wisconsin 
Infantry, Aug. 26, 1864, and was mustered out the following June. He was always strictly honorable and honest in all 
his dealings and withall a throughly respected citizen. 

Although past the allotted time of life, until very recently he took an active interest in public affairs and could 
always be found on the side of good citizenship. The venerable gentleman was also a sincere christian, being a 
devout member of St. Stephen's Catholic congregation, and was ever ready to lend a helping hand in all good work. 

Besides his aged widow, he leaves of family of six sons, all of whom are prominent in professional and business life. 
Leonard and Charles E. Van Hecke are residents of this city; John is a leading lawyer at Merrill; Leander is a prominent 
real estate man at Sioux Falls, S.D.; David fills the position of assistant superintendent on the Rock Island road, 
with headquarters at Pratt, Kas., and Jas A. Van Hecke is manager of a department for Swift & Co. in Chicago. Mrs. P. 
Walsh, their only daughter, died at Ashland five years ago. A granddaughter, Mrs. Aug. A. Boyer, had made her home with 
Mr. and Mrs. Van Hecke since infancy. Funeral services were held at St. Stephen's church at 9 o'clock this morning, Rev. 
W.J. Rice officiating. The pallbearers were Mr. Van Hecke's six sons, two of whom, Leander and David, arrived from the 
west last evening. James reached here on an early train Tuesday morning and John had been in the city since Saturday. 

The other relatives present from a distance were the son-in-law, P. Walsh, of Hayward, Mrs. John Van Hecke of Merrill, 
and a grandson, Carl Van Hecke of Chicago. 

About twenty old soldiers acted as escort for the remains from the house to church, thus paying a last mark of respect 
to their comrade in the Grand Army Post, and who had long been one of this organization's most active members. Father Rice 
offered a fitting tribute to the now deceased gentleman's worth as a man and christian.



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Submitted by Kathy Grace, <gendiva@charter.net> June 2004    

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