Obituary - Frank Druffel

Frank Druffel, Wood Craftsman, Dead at Age 81

Funeral services for Frank B. Druffel, 81, who died Saturday night at Gritman Memorial Hospital of an apparent heart attack, include a rosary tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. and funeral mass Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., both at St. Gall's Catholic Church, Colton.

Druffel, a life-long Whitman County resident, was a farmer by profession, and an avid wood craftsman who turned out many cabinets, cupboards, wardrobes and grandfather clocks. Many of his creations were donated to parish bazaars at St. Galls's, of which he was a communicant, and to the neighboring St. Boniface parish in Uniontown.

Area schools also benefited from his handiwork, receiving trophy cases and library tables. He designed and crafted additional church pews when the interior of St. Gall's church was remodeled several years ago.

Druffel was born March 25, 1893, at St. John, the son of Bernard and Anna Druffel. The family moved to Colton when he was five. He attended Colton schools.

He married Lena Busch, Nov. 14, 1916. The couple moved to the Bald Butte area north of Colton, where he lived until his death. Druffel also was a member of the Colton council of the Knights of Columbus.

In addition to his wife at the family home, he is survived by a son, Gerald, Uniontown; two daughters, Ilean Landis, Tolland, Conn.; 15 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Another son, LeRoy died in 1944 and a daughter, Isabelle Strohmaier, died in December, 1973. Also surviving are three brothers, Paul and Albert Druffel of Colton and Martin Druffel, Pullman, and four sisters, Mary Reisenauer, Uniontown; Ella Druffel, Kay Showalter, and Agnes Dewald, all of Spokane.

Kimball Funeral Home, Pullman, is in charge of arrangements.

Unknown newspaper, (handwritten date, Monday, July 12, 1974)
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock

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