Donavan Rohwedder 1969-1974

ROHWEDDER, WITT

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 11/19/2022 at 09:07:14

20 June 1974 - The Tipton Conservative

Donavan J. Rohwedder, 5, son of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Rohwedder, who live a half mile from Sunbury, was trampled to death by cattle sometime after 10 p.m. June 17. The boy had been in the garage where his father was working at about 10 p.m. He apparently wandered off into a pasture where about 20 cattle were grazing.

It is believed that he startled the cattle who trampled him. Death was due to a head injury. The boy's body was found in the pasture about 12:10 a.m. June 18. The family had searched the farm and nearby areas for some time, then called the Cedar county sheriff's office and asked for help. They resumed the search and found the boy's body moments before the officers arrived.

Dr. Walter Kopsa, Cedar county medical examiner, ruled that death was due to head and other injuries received from the cattle.

The boy had been in the habit of going to the pasture with his father and kicking feed out of the feed wagon to the cattle. The herd of cattle included one bull.

Funeral services for Donavan Gene Rohwedder will be held at 1:30 p.m. today (June 20) at Peace Church of Christ United at Bennett with the Rev. Dennis Lamont officiating. Burial will be in the Durant cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Melvin Rohwedder, Walto Shepard, Wesley and Henry Witt.

The son of Norman and Gladys Witt Rohwedder, he was born at Davenport March 17, 1969. He is survived by his parents, a brother, Kenneth, at home and his maternal grandfather, Fred Witt, DeWitt. He was preceded in death by a brother and a sister.