Robert Thorvald "Bob" Jessen 1935-1977

JESSEN, RICHMOND, PILZ

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 2/14/2015 at 23:10:12

One dead in I-80 accident
An Iowa man was killed and three others seriously injured in a two-truck accident on Interstate-80, two and one-half miles east of the Barkeyville exit early this morning.

Dead was Robert Jessen, 41, of Armstrong, Iowa. Also in the truck with Jessen was David Mueller, Sioux City, Iowa. His age was not given.

In the other truck, a pickup, driver Henry Jay , 49, of Lakewood, N.J., and his son Ronald Jay, 16, were taken to Bashline Hospital in Grove City along with Mueller where all three are listed in guarded condition this morning.

It was believed that the accident happened at 5:00 a.m. and that the pickup truck was ahead of the larger truck used for carrying beer. It was not carrying cargo.

According to the investigating officer, a member of the interstate patrol out of the Mercer State Police Barracks, the night crew first spotted the accident and contacted them and the ambulance service of Grove City.

At the time, it was dark and raining slightly, but no fog was reported.

The pickup, headed west, was apparently in the left lane, and was struck from behind by the beer truck as police found what appeared to be white marks on the rear bumper of the pickup truck. The beer truck was white.

The pickup went out of control and left the left side of the interstate and struck an embankment. Police thought it also flipped over as the rear section of the roof had considerable damage to it. The cab part, as seen by the accompanying photo, was not damaged.

Mueller was unconscious at the time police arrived and they didn’t know who was driving the beer truck.

Police had a chance to talk with the elder Jay and he said he was traveling at 50 miles per hour when the accident happened.

Venango County Deputy Coroner Edward Gabrys was called to the scene and had the body taken to Franklin Hospital where an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death and possible reason for the accident.

Jessen received considerable head injuries, but an official ruling from Gabrys is pending. (Franklin News Herald, Franklin, PA, June 25, 1977)

Crash Claims Armstrong Man
Mercer, Penn. – Robert Jessen, 42, Armstrong, was killed Saturday [June 25, 1977] in a two-truck collision on Interstate 80 near Franklin, Penn.

Services for Jessen will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Presbyterian Church, Armstrong. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, June 27, 1977)

Robert Thorvald Jessen
Armstrong – Services for Robert Thorvald Jessen, 42, Armstrong, will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Presbyterian Church, Armstrong, with the Rev. Travis Cannady officiating. Interment will be in the Armstrong Grove Cemetery.

Mr. Jessen was fatally injured Saturday in a truck accident near Franklin, Pa.

Friends may call at the Henry and Olson Funeral Home, Armstrong, after 1 p.m. Tuesday until 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Mr. Jessen was born March 11, 1935, at Dolliver, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thorvald Jessen. He received his education in Dolliver schools, attended Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, and was married to Jean Richmond Dec. 29, 1956, at Armstrong.

He lived in Des Moines for eight years and Armstrong for the past 10 years, where he operated a general insurance agency. Mr. Jessen is a veteran of the Korean Conflict, where he served 16 months, a member of the Armstrong Presbyterian Church and VFW.

He is survived by his wife Jean; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thorvald Jessen, Dolliver; two sons and three daughters, Kip Jessen, Kellie Jessen, Kent Jessen, Karie Jessen and Krista Jessen, all at home; one brother, James Jessen, Jerome, Idaho; and one sister, Mrs. Dean (Marlys) Pilz, LeMars. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, June 27, 1977)