Birth: Mar. 21, 1946 Death: Sep. 14, 1956 Black River Falls Jackson County Wisconsin, USA
Parents: Marian Ruth Beirne Skolos (1917 - 2014)
Michael Humphreys, son of Mrs. Marian Humphreys was fatally injured Friday afternoon, September 14th when he and his young friend Gaylin West were struck by a car when riding on a bicycle.
The two boys on one bike were planning on going to the Loasching store for an ice cream cone. Riding behind a truck, they came from behind to make a turn across Highway 95 and came into the path of a car driven by a salesman, Richard S. Waskow, of Spencer, who was headed east. He did his best to avoid the boys, but his left front fender hit them. Both boys were taken in the Jensen ambulance to the Krohn Clinic. Michael never recovered consciousness and passed away at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, September 15th. Gaylin was allowed to go home after several days at the hospital assured he had no serious injuries.
Funeral services were held for Michael on Tuesday at 9 a.m. the Immaculate Conception church at Alma Center. The Rev. Walter Brey officiated. Interment at Hill Crest Cemetery Sechlerville. Paul bearers were Ralph Christensen, Forest Loasching, Harry F. Smith and Gilmen Bergh.
Coming from a distance to attend services were grandparents Mr. and Mr. O. M. Humphreys, Imperial Nebraska; Floyd, Alvin and Mary Bierne of Ettrick; Loren Beirne of Milwaukee; and Mrs. Earl Randals of Alma Center was with the family several days.
Michael was ten years old at the time of his death. He was born March 21, 1946, the son of William and Marian Beirne Humphreys. His mother, brother Jerry, sister Patricia, grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Henry Beirne, Mr. and Mrs. O. M. Humphreys, and uncle Richard Beirne and other relatives deeply mourn his untimely death. Many memorials and a wealth of beautiful flowers spoke silently of the affection held for this small boy. Over 300 people called at the Jensen Funeral Home including the children from the grade school which Mickey attended. School did not meet for the 4th, 5th, or 6th grades on Tuesday and many school mates attended the service. Following the morning service over 40 relatives and friends gathered at the Beirne - Humphreys household for dinner.
The following tribute was written by Richard Beirne in tribute to his nephew:
People have been so very kind during this time of sorrow and we shall be eternally grateful. Their sympathy and understanding has done so much to help us through these black hours. I don't know how well you may have known Mickey---but he was such a definite personality. Ten years is such a short time to be allowed to have a little boy---and yet long enough so that he has developed into a whole individual with character and personality.
The activity of which he was most fond was baseball. He had collected over 500 pictures of his favorite baseball stars and used to spend his evenings lying up in bed studying the scores and averages. "Someday," he said, "I might get on the $64,000 Challenge on television---and I might have to know all of this!"
His second love was animals. Mickey knew no fear of animals, but showered them with love and affection. His trouser pockets might yield up a treasure trove of turtles, bugs or angle worms. He spent many hours just sitting in the sun of the back porch with his arms around the neck of a lonesome stray dog who needed love and companionship.
One hatred Mickey held. He despised unfairness or injustice. His cry would be loud and long against them. Mickey would not be unjust or unfair to others and though he easily forgave the faults of all--he really did not tolerate injustice in others.
How many things make a small boy dear to us: the way he rolled his eyes and teased, the way his shirttail never would stay tucked, all the freckles he despised, his great love of peanut butter sandwiches and the disarming way he would throw his arms about your waist and look up and saty "Goodnight."
I sometimes think a small boy is our closest link with God. To Mickey, God was not a theological argument, the mere subject of a Sunday sermon, a name to be uttered in vacant prayers. To Mickey, God was a great reality and perhaps only with such pure faith can we, any of us find HIM. [1]
Burial: Sechlerville Cemetery Jackson County Wisconsin, USA Plot: Row 13-O, grave 1 [2]
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