1915-1962
Raymond Heithoff, 46, was killed instantly on his farm near here Saturday when his tractor overturned in a creek.

Earl Singsank, a farm hand, found Mr. Heithoff pinned underneath the overturned farm vehicle in a small creek.

Mr. Heithoff had left the farmstead about 8 a.m. with a weed sprayer mounted on the tractor and had been spraying weeds in a pasture near the creek about one-half mile south of the Carroll-Audubon county line.

Investigation by the Audubon County sheriff's office revealed Mr. Heithoff had been traveling parallel to the creek but ran into a sharp bend that was partially obscured by weeds.

The front of the tractor plunged down about five feet, the machine turned over and Mr. Heithoff was pinned by the right rear fender.

His neck was broken, Dr. Richard Bartley, Audubon County medical examiner, said.

Requiem mass will be read at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Church at Manning, of which he was a member, with the Rev. Patrick Nooney officiating. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Manning.

Pallbearers will be George Fledderman, Russel Spies, Roland King, Stanley Mathiesen, Joe Trecker, and Art Hinners.

The body is at the Ohde Funeral Home in Manning, where the rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Monday, led by Fr. Nooney; and again at 8:30 by the Knights of Columbus of Templeton, of which he was a member.

Mr. Heithoff is survived by his wife, the former Rosalie Sporrer; two children, Jane, 12, and Dean Ray, 3; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Heithoff; one sister, Mrs. Leonard (Sabina) Sporrer, Dedham; and four brothers, Marcellus, Verndale, Minnesota; Clarence, Manning; Lawrence, Gray; and Harold, Templeton.

He was born August 11, 1915, near Templeton, a son of Bernard and Rose (Schnitter) Heithoff. He attended Sacred Heart School at Templeton, then farmed with his father.

He and Rosalie Sporrer were married January 23, 1940; and they lived in Ewoldt Township until 1944, then moved to their present home a mile and a half north of Gray.

Preceding him in death were an infant daughter Norma, October 23, 1947; and one sister, Mrs. Lawrence (Mildred) Schultes.