Mrs. RONALD (Sondra Clement) SCHARA & Infant BOBBETT SCHARA

CLEMENT, SCHARA

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 3/19/2005 at 15:25:09

SONDRA (Clement) SCHARA & Infant BOBBETT L. SCHARA

Rites Held For Former Iowa Mother And Tot, Fire Victims

Funeral services were held Tuesday at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church for a former Frankville mother and her nine-month-old daughter who perished in a fire while visiting in Tacoma, Washington.

Killed were Mrs. Sondra Joanna Clement Schara, 24, and her nine-month-old daughter, Bobbett Leanne. Seriously burned in the fire was her husband, Ronald, 25, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Harlan Schara of Postville.

Ronald suffered second and third degree burns to his hands and was burned on his face, back and legs. Burns covered approximately 18 per cent of his body. His father, Harlan, flew to Tacoma last Friday to be with his son. Present plans call for returning Ron to a local hospital when he can be moved.

The Scharas were visiting Friday, June 23, with fellow Iowa State graduates, Army Spec. 4 and Mrs. Kenneth R. Durbin, both of whom are hospitalized with burns over 20 to 30 per cent of their bodies, when fire swept through the Dubin home.

Sheriff's deputies said Schara and his wife and baby were sleeping upstairs in the two-story residence when fire broke out in the downstairs living room.

The Durbins escaped through a first floor window but the other couple was trapped upstairs.

Schara said he broke through a window and stepped onto a back porch but when he turned back to help his wife and child they were gone and the intense heat drove him back. He leaped to the ground.

Mrs. Schara had fled down the stairs with the baby, apparently trying to protect it from flames. Her body, on top of the infant's, was found at the foot of the stairs where both were overcome. Cause of the fire was not determined immediately.

Mrs. Ronald Schara was born December 22, 1942, and attended rural schools near Frankville township. She graduated in 1960 from Decorah high school, and was married December 22, 1962 in Washington Prairie Lutheran Church.

The Scharas lived in Ames for four years, attending Iowa State University, where they met the Durbins. They had moved to Pierre, South Dakota a year ago.

Postville Herald, hand-dated 1967 - contributed by Mary Durr