PAINE, Sharon K. (McCoy) 1955-1979

PAINE, MCCOY, HOTCHKISS, HOPCHKISS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 9/21/2013 at 22:38:09

#1:

Mrs. Bill Paine
Sean Michael Paine
Eric Francis Paine

Joint services for Mrs. Bill Paine, 23, Sean Michael Paine, 3, and Eric Francis Paine, six months, all of 1005 Broadway St., will be at 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Evansdale, with burial in Montour. There will be a 7:30 p.m. Scripture service Thursday at Oppold Funeral Home where friends may call after 1 p.m. Thursday. Memorials may be given to St. Nicholas Catholic Church and the Epileptic Foundation.

All three died Tuesday morning of smoke inhalation in a fire at their home.

Sharon McCoy was born November 14, 1955, in Des Moines, daughter of Lloyd and Bernice Mary Hopchkiss McCoy. She graduated from East High School in 1974, and married Bill Paine July 5, 1975, in Evansdale.

She is survived by her husband; her father, Lloyd of Montour; her grandfather, Jim McCoy of the Parkview Gardens Care Center; a sister Mrs. Jody Marque of Chariton; a brother, Steve McCoy in the Army, stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas; a stepbrother, William Peacock, and a stepsister, Becky Peacock, both of Pittsburg, California.

Sean Michael was born May 13, 1976, and Eric Francis was born April 17, 1979, both in Waterloo, sons of Bill and Sharon McCoy Paine.

They are survived by their father; maternal grandfather, Lloyd McCoy of Montour; maternal great-grandfather, Jim McCoy of Parkview Gardens Care Center; and paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Paine of Del Rio, Texas.

Source: Waterloo Courier, Wednesday, October 17, 1979
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
#2:

Three Family Members Die in Fire

Three members of as Waterloo family died Tuesday, when fire swept through their home at 1005 Broadway St., making it one of the worst fires in city history.

Dead are Sharon K. Paine, 23, and her two sons, Eric, six months, and Shawn three years.

Her husband, Billy D. Paine, 38, was taken to Allen Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for shock and cuts on his arm, received when he broke a bedroom window to climb out on the front porch of the home. He was reported in good condition Tuesday afternoon.

Dr. Alan B. Cameron, assistant county medical examiner, said all three appeared to have died as a result of smoke inhalation.

Mrs. Paine and the infant were found dead in separate upstairs bedrooms. Shawn, found in the same bedroom as his mother, died in the emergency room.

Lavonne Gushing, who works across the street at Fereday Heating, Inc., said she discovered the fire when she heard the living room window break. "When I looked out I saw flames shooting out the window," she said. She called the fire department about 8:50 a.m. A few seconds later the upstairs bedroom window was broken and Paine crawled out to the porch roof, above where flames were shooting out of the living room.

Mike Fereday Heating, Inc., said he ran across the street and Paine told him "My wife and kids are in there. I have to go back." However, Fereday said the smoke was roiling out of the window and was too thick for Paine to go back in. Firemen rescued him from the roof when they arrived.

It took firefighters about five minutes to bring the fire under control, but the entire first floor and much of the second story of the house was burned out. Firemen think the fire was caused by a child playing with a cigarette lighter. Officials speculated that the fire started in the living room and spread throughout the first floor, up the stairway and through part of the upstairs.

Source: Waterloo Courier, Tuesday, October 16, 1979
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTES:
The Oct. 17th obituary spelled Sharon's mother's maiden name as Hopchkiss, but it is believed to be Hotchkiss.

The Oct. 16th news story spelled Sean's name as Shawn.

They are all buried in Maple Hill Cemetery at Montour, Tama county, Iowa.

(Credit: S. Bell)