John Feger 1897-1950

FEGER, CUKLANZ, LAVELL, VAN CURA

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 6/21/2011 at 22:55:13

John Feger Killed in Car Crash
John Feger, 53, well known Terril farmer, was killed at 10 a.m. yesterday in a two-car collision at the intersection of two Dickinson county gravel roads two miles east of Terril.

According to Dickinson County Coroner K. L. Clayton of Spirit Lake, Feger was traveling north and a car driven by Francis Hoppe, also of Terril, was approaching from the west. Hoppe swerved to the right in an attempt to miss the Feger vehicle and collided with the rear end, turning the Feger car and rolling it into a ditch.

Feger fell part way out of the car as it rolled and was pinned beneath it, sustaining internal chest injuries which caused his death almost immediately.

William Cuklanz, 15, stepson of Feger, was the only other occupant of the car. Cuklanz was not injured, Clayton said.

The Hoppe car also turned over in a ditch, but none of its occupants was injured, the coroner stated. With Hoppe were his wife and their small baby.

Both cars are reported to have been traveling at moderate speed, between 35 and 40 miles per hour at the time of the accident. Ice covered the road rendering brakes useless and fog obstructed vision.

Feger, well known in Estherville and vicinity is one of the Feger brothers, farmers near Terril. He has farmed near Estherville and vicinity most of his adult life, having spent the past four years on the present Feger brothers farm in Lloyd township, Dickinson county.

He was born March 5, 1897 in New Berlin, Ill., and received his education there. In 1917 he moved to Dickinson county, living first on the north shores of big Spirit lake and later near Jackson, in the Petersburg vicinity, north of Estherville, east of Estherville and then at the present location.

Nov. 16, 1949, he was married to Mrs. Dora Cuklanz of Terril. He was a member of St. Patrick’s church in Estherville.

He is survived by his wife, four brothers, Walter of Estherville, Frank, Carl and Henry of Terril, two sisters. Mr. Wilfred “Mike” Lavell of Spirit Lake, and Mrs. George Van Cura of Eau Claire, Wis.

A Rosary will be recited 8 p.m. tomorrow at the Feger brothers farm near Terril and Requiem High mass will be offered at 9 a.m. Thursday in St. Patrick’s church in Estherville, the Rev. Father James H. Duhigg officiating. Burial will be at St. Patrick’s cemetery in Estherville. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, January 3, 1950)