By Paula Graham
Catholic Herald correspondent

Rural Rusk Countians talk about Sept. 2 tornado

RUSK COUNTY --The F3 tornado that struck Ladysmith on Labor Day exited the city and traveled southeast leaving a fifteen-mile trail of destruction and devastation in rural Rusk County.

David and Shannon Groothousen, of Town Line Road, lost 45 trees and a greenhouse. They also sustained structural damage to their residence. The couple was at home with daughters Kayla and Karlee when the tornado struck. "I saw a tree flying by the window and knew it was time to hit the basement," said David. "It sounded like a freight train. The house shook." Three minutes later the family emerged from the basement and have been working non-stop ever since to clear debris.

According to David, the Sheldon Fire Department was first on the scene. Firemen began removing trees from the road and driveway. Friends Ed Jiskra of Sheldon and Dean Harris of Conrath helped Groothousen cut and haul trees from the yard. "You knew this was a tornado," said David. "Trees landed every which way." The DNR sent a weekend work crew; by Saturday a bus load of volunteers had arrived from Eau Claire.

Because they couldn't get to the basement of their farm house, Ron and Sharon Tucker, of Town Line Road, Tony, rode out the storm in door frames. He was upstairs, she was on the first floor of their newly renovated farm house. As the storm headed south and east of Ladysmith, Sharon Tucker was sitting on her new porch, reading. "I heard strange thunder and thought that's funny, it's not even breathing in between. The plants started blowing and the rain came. I knew it was going to be nasty," she said.

Her husband Ron was upstairs closing windows. "There went the (attached) garage," he yelled. Sharon called for him to come downstairs. "Then the back door blew open and moved the refrigerator three feet. It blocked the entrance to the cellar." The Tuckers knew that if the tornado had hit their home, standing in door jams wouldn't have helped. "Thank God we're okay, not a cut finger," said Sharon.

The Tuckers estimate it was over in 45 seconds. "We didn't want to look, but figured the sooner, the better," said Ron. All of the outbuildings on their farm were flattened, including their barn and two silos. Cars were damaged, machinery mangled and tossed, trees splintered. "Our woods is shredded," said Sharon. Round bales were picked up and dropped a quarter of a mile away.

Like their neighbors along Town Line and Range Line Roads, the Tuckers are in limbo. Looking at the devastation made them sick, but they couldn't begin the clean up process until after the insurance adjuster had visited. "With the losses in Ladysmith, it's hard for everyone," said Ron. Once the adjuster assessed the damages, volunteers started descending. "So much food has arrived. Everyone is wonderful," said Sharon. Her bosses from Alan-Bradley Co. cut up trees, and bus loads of volunteers picked up debris. The Tuckers are thankful for everyone's help. "I've had offers. All I need to do is pick up the phone," said Ron.

Every day the Tuckers deal with "something else." There are many of decisions to make: what to do with their 40 head of cattle, whether to rebuild the outbuildings, whether they need to rebuild their house. Engineers have been assessing structural damage to the house. "We will probably need to level it and rebuild," said Sharon. According to Ron, keeping a sense of humor is the only way to get through. Sharon finds talking about the disaster helps her cope. "It's good to have people to listen. Every time I tell the story, it gets a little easier to take."

Jim and Sharon Cicha, of Town Line Road, Glen Flora, were at home when the tornado struck. Their three children were gone. Sharon says she arrived home at 4:40 p.m. from the Hawkins Harvest Festival. "It was hailing so I pulled the car into the garage to prevent hail damage," she said. Her first thought was to wait out the storm in the garage. "I stood by the garage door, looking to see how bad it was. I thought I'm soaking wet anyway, so I ran into the house." She stopped to unplug the TV and computer and walked down the hall to her bedroom to change clothes. "There was noise, noise, noise outside and sheer white out the windows. Jim yelled get to the basement."

At 4:45 p.m. they climbed the basement steps of the ranch-style house and looked out the window. "Everything was gone. The garage was gone, not a wall, not even a piece of a wall," said Sharon. "It was a pile of damage," said Jim. Trees littered the property, cars were pushed over, totaled. The Cichas lost 25 trees, including five apples trees, a shed, a four-car garage and sawmill. Ripe red apples lay scattered on the ground. "We won't eat them because they probably have glass in them," said Sharon.

Their house sustained extensive damage: broken windows, holes in the roof, cracks in the foundation and a layer of mud, leaves and pine needles mixed with shards of glass covering walls, curtains, even clothes hanging in closets. A board from a neighbor's farm speared a west wall of their house.

"I look at all the destruction and think the Lord was with us because the house is livable, I have all my mementos and we're still here. We're alive and healthy. The garage is only 20 feet from the house and it's completely gone," said Sharon. Their golden labs got a roller coaster ride in their dog houses. "Bridget found her fetch ball in all that debris and dropped it in front of us. It made us laugh," said Sharon. A hummingbird feeder hanging outside an east window speaks to the fickle nature of tornados. Suspended by nothing more than a wooden clothes pin, the birdfeeder didn't even move. "It wasn't damaged and the birds are still coming," said Sharon.

In a field east of the Cicha's residence, Duane and Mary Ann Schneider lost a large pole shed housing two antique fire engines: a 1946 Seagrave and a 1951 Chevrolet. The vehicles sustained damage to windows and mirrors. A ladder pierced the wall of the shed. Combing the fields surrounding the Schneider's shed, Linda and Greg Rayment from Almena lugged and piled debris. "We just want to help people," said Linda. The Rayments were impressed by the efficiency of the volunteer center. "We arrived in Ladysmith at 8:15 a.m. and by 9:30 we were here working in the Schneider's field." Duane says he plans to rebuild the shed.

John and Cindy Verdegan, of Town Line Road, Glen Flora, were away for the weekend. "We lost trees and it took the top of our silo," said Cindy. The Verdegans have found silo parts in their barn and shed. "A wall of our garage was blown off and the satellite dish shredded." Most of the damage to the Verdegan's barn, house, garage and shed was caused by flying debris from neighboring properties. As they clean up they are finding extension cords and ice scrapers, "things people have in garages," said Cindy. The couple is thankful for the bus loads of volunteers harvesting debris from their corn fields.

As Rusk Countians labor to restore order beside friends, family and anonymous volunteers, they regret the devastation but give thanks that lives were spared.

Knights set up tornado relief fund

In response to the Labor Day tornado that ravaged the commercial district of Ladysmith and sections of rural Rusk County, The Knights of Columbus Council 2481 has established a relief fund.

"Our council met two days after the tornado," said Grand Knight Jim Stewart. "Other councils throughout the state had already started contacting us to donate money. One church in River Falls took a special collection."

According to Stewart, the Knights decided to form their own fund rather than channel donations to the Red Cross. "We wanted to make certain all money would be used to take care of local people, Catholic and non-Catholic, rather than be used elsewhere."

Stewart and District Deputy Mel Spencer have begun making home visits throughout the damaged areas. "Many people are too proud to ask for help, so we're going to them," said Stewart.

On Sunday, September 8 the Knights sponsored a breakfast at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. "It was a free-will offering and we cleared $3,300. People are so generous. I was so busy doing hash browns, I couldn't tell you how many people were there." The Flambeau School has also established a drive for the fund.

Contributions to the fund, made payable to Knights Tornado Relief Fund, can be sent to Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 611 1st St. South, Ladysmith WI 54848.

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2002