Schwister, Kenneth

Other Events:

• Obituary: Aft 13 Nov 1966; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Obituary:
Early Sunday Morning
Appleton Man Shoots Wife to Death, Takes Own Life
A 26-year old Appleton man shot and killed his estranged wife, then fatally wounded himself early Sunday in their Town of Grand Chute home.
Outagamie County authorities termed the deaths of Kenneth F. Schwister and his pretty wife, Donna Mae 22,k murder and suicide.
Authorities said the shootings occurred about 12:30 a.m. shortly after Schwister came to the new ranch home at 2235 N. Casaloma Drive and began arguing with his wife.
Divorce papers had been served on Schwister at the Grand Chute home about 3 p.m. Saturday. He was ordered to appear in Outagamie County Court Branch 1 at 9:30 a.m. today to testify in his own behalf in the action started by his wife.
Schwister served a 30-day sentence in the Outagamie County jail following his arrest on a disorderly conduct charge June 6. County police, who made the arrest, said the charge stemmed from Schwister's harassment of his wife.
Married in October 1964, the Schwisters had been separated since May. They had no children.
Heard Shotgun Blast
The dead woman's sister, Miss Barbara Neubert, 19, 5138 N. Mayflower Drive, was in the house at the time of the shooting. After hearing the first shotgun blast and seeing her sister bleeding from the right arm, she locked herself in a bathroom. After the shooting stopped, she broke out a screen and crawled through a bathroom window then ran to a nearby home for help.
It was with the assistance of Miss Neubert that authorities were able to piece together an account of the tragic chain of events that started when Schwister reportedly used his key to unlock a door and get into the house with his wife and sister-in-law.
Miss Violet Brehmer, who lived with Mrs. Schwister since the latter was separated six months ago, had left early Saturday evening. She was not going to return until late that night.
Mrs., Schwister picked up her sister, Barbara, about 11 p.m. Barbara reportedly was going to stay at the Schwister home overnight
Began Arguing
Schwister, who had been living with his father, Leonard Schwister, at 908 N. Division St., entered through the front door shortly after midnight. Miss Neubert told authorities that the couple began arguing. Schwister reportedly kicked a record player and his wife told him to leave or she would call the police.
He then ripped the telephone cord from the kitchen wall.
Schwister went to a rear bedroom in the six-room house. His wife followed. Authorities learned that he took a 20 gauge pump shotgun from the bedroom closet. Barbara was in the sewing room, across the hallway from the bedroom, when she heard the first shot.
The initial blast apparently struck Mrs. Schwister as she stood in the narrow hallway. Several pellets and wadding from the shotgun shell were imbedded in a hallway closet door.
Mrs. Schwister caught the first blast in the upper right arm. She stumbled into the sewing room then through the living room and into the kitch-livingroom and into the kitchen. Miss Neubert screamed "Please don't kill my sister," then ran into the bathroom and locked the door
Authorities believe Mrs. Schwister was shot the second time either in the kitchen or the adjoining unfinished utility room. Blood was spattered about the rough wood floor in the utility room..
Larry's Ambulance attendants and county police found Mrs. Schwister, clad in a robe and pajamas and wearing curlers, lying face up in a large pool of blood on the kitchen floor near the door leading to the utility room. She had been shot at close range to the lower part of the back.
Authorities said Schwister, after shooting his wife the second time, apparently went into the living room where he put the shotgun to his chest and pumped one shell into the heart area.
County Patrolman Irving Partika, accompanied Schwister to Appleton Memorial Hospital in the ambulance Schwister reportedly was calm until he was wheeled into the emergency floor, then he became violent and it took several persons, including hospital attendants, to restrain him. He died minutes after he was admitted to the hospital.
Dead On Arrival
Ambulance attendants administered oxygen to Mrs. Schwister for several minutes. She was dead on arrival at the hospital. Outagamie County Coroner Bernard H. Kemps said both persons died of massive internal hemorrhaging.
Miss Neubert remained in the locked bathroom until several minutes after she heard the third shot.
She then raised the bathroom window, pushed out a screen and crawled through. By then hysterical, she rant to the nearby home of Donald.Mathison, 2218 N. Casaloma Drive from where an ambulance was summoned. Mathison ran to the home of his neighbor, Richard Salsman, 2221 N. Casaloma Drive, and the two went to the Schweitzer home. Through a window, they could see Schwister and his wife lying on the floor. They did not enter the home. The doors reportedly were locked.
Kemps, Sheriff Calvin Spice and his men worked until nearly 5 a.m. at the Schwister home and at the hospital. Kemps ordered the home sealed until further notice. The coroner said there would be no inquest into the case. Dist. Atty. Nick F. Schaefer examined the shooting scene early Sunday.
Schwister was employed at Giddings and Lewis Machine Tool Co. while his wife worked at Elm Tree Bakery with Miss Brehmer.
A requiem mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Pius X Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Friends may call after 2 p.m. Tuesday at Valley Funeral Home.

Kenneth married Neubert, Donna Abt Oct 1964. Donna (daughter of Neubert, Russell Charles and Kern, Cecilia) was born 9 Jan 1944, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA; died 13 Nov 1966, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]