Cora Frances Elwood Reese 1866-1937

REESE, WALZ, ELWOOD

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 11/30/2010 at 21:42:46

C. H. Elwood Badly Injured in Auto Crash
Mrs. Cora Reese, Mother, and Mrs. Carl Walz, Sister, Killed

C. H. Ellwood, residing about four miles east of Spirit Lake, was seriously injured just before noon on Thursday [June 17, 1937] of last week when his car left the highway near Randall, Ia.

Mrs. Cora Reese, 71, and Mrs. Carl Walz, 38, both of Estherville, mother and sister of Mr. Ellwood were killed.

According to a statement of Mr. Ellwood, he and the two ladies had just attended a funeral at Percy, south of Des Moines the day before. They were returning home when they met a truck going south to Des Moines. Mr. Elwood pulled his car too far over as the truck passed and the wheels slipped off on the pavement There was a cut along the pavement as there is many times when the dirt is soft. Mr. Ellwood says the wheels held to the little ditch and in pulling out he lost complete control of the car. The car crossed the pavement and went into a ditch along the side of the highway, traveling about 40 miles an hour. While the ditch was not deep the car turned over endwise and threw both women through the top of the machine.

Mrs. Reese was killed instantly. Her chest was crushed and her head badly fractured. Mrs. Walz had a fractured skull and died in a few minutes.

Edgar Ernst, a salesman, happened along at the time and called for assistance. The truck driver, W. G. Long of Des Moines, did not know of the accident until a man riding with him happened to look back and saw the overturned car. Mr. Long returned to the car and while there Mr. Elwood told him he was in no manner to blame. He said he simply lost control of the car and turned over. Elwood is not thought to be seriously injured. (Spirit Lake Beacon, Spirit Lake, IA, June 24, 1937)

Double Funeral Services Held for Accident Victims
The double funeral services of mother and daughter, Mrs. Cora Reese and her daughter, Mrs. Carl Walz was a sad one. Both were killed in an auto accident at Randall on last Thursday. The services were held in the Union Baptist church which was packed to capacity by relatives and friends of the family and the floral offerings were profuse. The Rev. J. Albert Riggs officiated.

Mrs. Cora Frances Reese was born in Marion County September 22, 1866. Her husband, August Reese preceded her in death by 11 years. She is survived by three sons, Fred of Estherville, Cashus of Spirit Lake and Alpha of Newton, also two sisters and three brothers.

Her daughter, Mrs. Hattie Eldora Walz was born at Emmetsburg may 29th, 1903. She was the wife of Carl Walz, a mechanic in the Rock Island round house. She is survived by her husband and three children, Donald, Irene and James.

Interment was made in Oak Hill cemetery. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, June 24, 1937)