Theodore & Jimmy Reece d. 1936

REECE

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 1/9/2020 at 08:17:02

6 February 1936 - The Clarence Sun

Locked in the house while their mother was out mailing a letter, two small children burned to death at Stanwood last Friday in a fire that destroyed their home. The victims were Theodore Reece, 4, and his brother, Jimmy, 7 months old, sons of Mrs. Bertha Reece.

A third child, Louis, 2, was rescued by Billy Servahs and John Whitmore, who broke into the house through a side window. Mrs. Reece's husband, Theodore, was in New York where he is employed.

Mrs. Reece, 28, said she brought the children to Stanwood and rented a little home last November "so the country air might do Jimmy some good."

The family lived in New York where Mr. Reece is a metal spinner. Jimmy did not thrive. The family was worried about him. Finally it was decided to send the mother and children to Stanwood while Mr. Reece remained at his job.

"And now I've only got Louis left," cried Mrs. Reece. She and the little boy stayed temporarily at the home of a neighbor, Walter Ketler, until the child recovered from the effects of smoke and slight burns and until Mrs. Reece was over her hysteria. Mr. and Mrs. Reece are recently from Germany and she speaks broken English.

Mrs. Reece said that she believes the blaze started in the attic. She had gone to the postoffice at 10 a.m., leaving the three children at home. Fifteen minutes later upon her return, she opened the back door and was met by a cloud of smoke and flame.

The mother and her three children had lived to themselves in Stanwood, and even the neighbors were scarcely acquainted with them.