Funeral services set for Ann Arbor merchant
Funeral services set for Ann Arbor merchant
Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon for Claude Stoll, a longtime Ann Arbor merchant who was killed in a two-vehicle collision Thursday near Marine City in St. Clair County.
The 76-year-old Stoll, vice president of the Kiddie Korner store on South Main Street, died about 30 minutes after his car was struck broadside by a pickup truck. Stoll, who lived at 3025 Brockman Blvd., founded the popular children's shop in 1946 with his brother, Earl.
ROBERT FERRI, 52, of 1012 W. Washington St., who was with Stoll on a fishing trip at the time of the crash, was treated at River District Hospital in St. Clair for back injuries and then released. Larry Aspenleiter, 29, of Marine City, the driver of the pickup truck, was also released from that hospital after treatment of leg and head injuries.
State Police from the St. Clair post said Stoll was making a U-turn on M-29 about a mile north of Marine City when the collision occurred. The Stoll vehicle was pulling a boat and the front of Aspenleiter’s truck squarely struck the left front door of the Ann Arbor car, troopers said.
Ferri told investigators he and Stoll had been attempting to find out about fishing conditions moments before the accident. When they found a nearby bait shop was closed, they decided to return to Marine City and Stoll began the U-turn, troopers said.
Aspenleiter said Stoll’s car and boat trailer were parked at the side of the road when he first saw the vehicle. The Marine City man said he was traveling 35 to 40 miles per hour when the car unexpectedly pulled into his path and began the U-turn. He said he swerved to the left and applied his brakes but was unable to avoid the crash.
FUNERAL SERVICES for Stoll will be held at 3 p. m. Saturday at the Muehlig Chapel in Ann Arbor, with burial to follow in Washtenong Memorial Park.
Friends may call at the Muehlig Chapel from 7 to 9 p. m. today and from 10 a. m. Saturday until the time of the service.