Timothy Allan Lappegard 1951-1974

LAPPEGARD, WILLIAMSON, SCOTT, LORENZEN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 12/11/2011 at 22:55:13

Estherville Man Killed
Estherville – Emmet County recorded its second traffic fatality of 1974 Thursday afternoon when an Estherville man was fatally injured in a three-vehicle collision 7 ½ miles east of Estherville on Iowa Highway 9.

Timothy Lappegard, 22, died when the car he was driving collided with a pickup driven by Ronald Helmich, Armstrong, then veered into the path of a car driven by Mrs. Jerry (Connie) Dotson, Estherville, colliding nearly head-on with the Dotson vehicle. All three were alone in their vehicles at the time of the accident, which occurred about 5:45 p.m.

Mrs. Dotson and Helmich were both taken to Holy Family Hospital in Estherville and Mrs. Dotson later transferred to Rochester Hospitals. Authorities, however, required several minutes to free Mrs. Dotson from her car.

Lappegard was dead at the scene of the accident but authorities had to employ two wreckers and a large farm tractor to remove the body from the car.

Mrs. Dotson’s attending physician said that she suffered a probably neck injury, fractured femur, dislocation of the right wrist, probable fracture of the mandible and multiple lacerations. Helmich is hospitalized at Holy Family Hospital with contusions.

One witness to the accident said that Lappegard had passed several cars just prior to the collision. “I didn’t see the accident because of a small hill but I saw debris fly in the air following the collision,” the witness said.

Investigating officers – from the Iowa Highway Patrol and Emmet County sheriff’s office – surmised that Lappegard, traveling west, was passing at the time of the accident, hit the left front corner of the Helmich pickup traveling east, then veered into to the eastbound Dotson car.

Another witness said that it appeared that both Lappegard and Helmich started for the ditch and that Lappegard started to pull back.

The Helmich pickup continued on into the ditch following impact, rolling over and winding up in the south ditch. Lappegard’s car and Mrs. Dotson’s car came to rest blocking both lanes of traffic, forcing authorities to route traffic around the accident for nearly an hour.

Iowa State Trooper Marvin Loebach and Emmet County Deputy Sheriff Eldon Miner expressed their appreciation to the numerous persons who assisted them during the accident.

Funeral services for Lappegard will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. G.O. St. Lawrence officiating. Interment will be in East Side Cemetery. Friends may call at Fuhrman Funeral Home, Estherville. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, June 7, 1974)

Lappegard Rites Held Saturday
Estherville – Timothy Allan Lappegard, 22, Estherville, was given funeral services at 2 p.m. Saturday in Calvary Baptist Church, Estherville, with the Rev. G.O. St. Lawrence officiating. Burial was made in East Side Cemetery.

Mr. Lappegard was killed in a three-car collision on Thursday, June 6 on Highway 9, 7 ½ miles east of Estherville.

He was born Oct. 5, 1951 at Spencer to Mr. and Mrs. Casper Lappegard. He received his education in Rembrandt and Albert City schools. On June 23, 1973 he was married to Theresa Williamson in Estherville and they lived for a time in Wisconsin. They returned to Estherville in August, 1973, and he was employed by Arts-Way Manufacturing Co., Armstrong.

Survivors include his wife and infant daughter, Tina Lynn; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Caper Lappegard, five brothers, Casper Jr. of Eagle Grove, Robert of Graettinger, Curtis of Dunnell, LeRoy of Sheboygan, Wis., and Richard of Marathon, two sisters, Mrs. Robert (Virginia) Scott of Emmetsburg and Mrs. Darrel (Jeannette) Lorenzen of Marathon.

He was preceded in death by one sister who was also killed in an automobile accident.

Serving as pallbearers were Terry Clabaugh, Jim Helmick, Duane Linn, Randy Linn, Steven Linn, and Kevin McCarthy. Fuhrman Funeral Home, Estherville, was in charge of arrangements. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, June 10, 1974)