Kenneth Richard Wee 1945-1963

WEE, WALZ

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 1/5/2011 at 20:15:00

Youth, 17, Killed in One-Car Accident (By Barry Huntsinger)
An 18-year-old sailor home on leave after completing basic training was killed Sunday night in a one-car crash here.

A 15-year-old girl companion is in satisfactory condition at Holy Family Hospital
Dead is Kenneth Wee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Merlyn Wee of Estherville, who had been home n leave for the past few days after completing basic training in the United States Navy.
In satisfactory condition is Janet Michaelson, daughter of Mrs. Jeanette Michaelson of Estherville and Olaf Michaelson of Fort Madison.

She has been in a semi-conscious state since the accident, her attending physician reports. He said Miss Michaelson apparently suffered little more than a brain concussion. He said x-rays will be taken when her condition allows it.

Investigating officers said the crash occurred about 600 feet south of the South-Y on Highway 17, inside the city limits.

Two witnesses to the crash, Regis Hoffman, who was driving south behind the Wee car, and a passenger in his car, Roger Bryan, said they saw the car spin out of control during a heavy rain.
They said they had followed Wee south of Highway 17 cut-off past the sewage disposal plant, and were behind his car when it spun out of control, turned completely around and slammed sideways into an oak tree along the west side of the road.

Miss Michaelson was thrown from the car onto the pavement. Hoffman and Bryan said they stopped and covered Miss Michaelson with a coat and blanket and then flagged a car down to summon help.

Police said Wee died a short time after they arrived.

Wee’s body was pinned into the car and a wrecker had to pull the car from around the tree and then pull the door loose on the driver’s side to free his body.

The accident occurred about 10:30 p.m. police said.

The car, owned by Larry Wee, brother of Kenneth, was totally demolished. Larry Wee left Wednesday to begin basic training in the Navy.

Wee had appeared in justice court of M.H. Salyers Saturday and was charged with possession of beer as a minor. He was fined $15 and costs.
He told police that the beer had been purchased for him by Tom Bortvit, 19, Estherville. A warrant was issued from Salyers’ court and Bortvit was arrested at the scene of the accident Sunday night when he approached officers to ask who was injured in the wreck.

Bortvit appeared in Salyers’ court later that night and was fined $25 and costs each on separate charges of purchasing beer as a minor and unlawful use of a driver’s license, allegedly using a license belonging to someone else for the purpose of identification to buy beer.

The fatality is the first one to be recorded inside the city limits in 870 days and is Emmet County’s second fatal accident of the year.

Kenneth Richard Lee was born Jan. 26, 1945 at the Naval Air Station Hospital at Corpus Christi, Tex., the son of Mr. and Mrs. Merlyn Wee.

He moved to Estherville with his parents at the age of one.

He enlisted in the United States Navy, June 26, 1963, and underwent basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. He was to have reported to the Naval Hospital Corp School at San Diego, Calif., Sept. 10.

Kenneth was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church, confirmed in 1960.

He is survived by his parents, four brothers, Larry, San Diego Naval Training Base; James, William and Thomas, all living at home; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Wee, Estherville, and maternal grandfather, Charles Walz, Estherville.

Services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Immanuel Lutheran Church with the Rev. W. H. Discher to officiate. Burial is to be in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Reese Funeral Home from 9 a.m. Wednesday until noon Thursday when the body will be taken to lie in state at the church. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, September 3, 1963)