SNITTJER, J. Sherwood 1918-1982

SNITTJER, RIEKENA, KENNEDY

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 8/10/2012 at 17:31:58

Wellsburg Businessman Killed In Light Plane Mishap Monday
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Wellsburg Grain Dealer, J. Sherwood Snittjer, 63, was killed Monday night when the Piper Dakota single engine light plane he was piloting crashed in heavy overcast four miles north of the Marshalltown airport. Also killed was the other occupant, Norma Jean Barton, 45, of Denver, IA. Cause of the accident is unknown. The two were on a flight from Guttenberg to Marshalltown.

A 63-year-old Wellsburg businessman, James Sherwood Snittjer, was killed, Monday when the single engine light plane he was piloting crashed on a Marshall county gravel road about four miles north of the Marshalltown municipal airport.

Also killed was the other occupant of the Piper Dakota plane, Norma Jean Barton, 45, Denver.

The crash occurred about 7:58 p.m. Monday on a flight from Guttenberg to Marshalltown.

Funeral services for Sherwood Snittjer are pending at the Doyen Funeral Home in Wellsburg.

The cause of the accident is not known at this time. An investigator from the Federal Aviation Administration office is Des Moines was expected to Inspect the crash scene sometime Tuesday.

Visibility was hampered at the time of the mishap by fog, drizzle and occasional heavy overcast.

Evidence at the scene indicates Snittjer was attempting to land the plane on an east-west gravel road a mile south and 2 1/2 miles west of the junction of Highways 14 and 96 in northern Marshall county.

The light plane disintegrated on impact, and only a tail section and a wing section remained intact. One landing gear was in a pasture on the south side of the road, and a portion of the cockpit was in a soybean field north of the road.

Both bodies were thrown free of the wreckage.

Despite a search by Marshall county law officers, the engine of the plane had not been found by 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Snittjer was a lifelong resident of Wellsburg and an officer of Snittjer Grain Company, Inc., a Wellsburg grain elevator business.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Emma Snittjer, of Wellsburg.

--Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 9 September 1982, pg 1

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Local Man Killed In Plane Crash
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A Labor Day Holiday vacation trip to the Mississippi River ended Monday night in the tragic death of a Wellsburg businessman, Sherwood Snittjer, 63, and a companion, Norma Jean Barton, 45, Denver. The single engine light plane that Snittjer piloted on a flight from Guttenberg to Marshalltown crashed on a Marshall county gravel road four miles north of the Marshalltown airport. The crumpled remains of the plane came to rest in a ditch after impact on the road near the cars parked in background. Only a tail and wing section are intact. (See story on Front Page)

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 9 September 1982, section 2, pg 1

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Funeral Held For Sherwood Snittjer, 63

Funeral services for Sherwood Snittjer were conducted on Thursday, September 9, at 2 p.m. at the Second Christian Reformed Church in Wellsburg.

Rev. Gideon Wolbrink officiated at the services. The eulogy was given by Warren Breakenridge. Blair Ahearn sang two selections accompanied by Mrs. Ahearn. Mrs. Clarence Beecroft was organist. Mrs. Jakie G. Lindaman, Mrs. Evert Heikens, and Mrs. Lester Huisman were in charge of the flowers.

Pall bearers were Warren Breakenridge, Leonard Meyer, Jerry Helmick, Darrell Koch, Evert Heikens, and Harlyn Riekena.

Graveside military rites were conducted by the Wellsburg Amvets Post #91 and the Wellsburg American Legion Post #213. Interment was held in the Shiloh Cemetery in Wellsburg.

Mr. Snittjer died on injuries received in a plane crash Monday evening, September 6, northwest of Marshalltown. He reached the age of 63 years, 9 months and 7 days.

He was born James Sherwood Snittjer on November 29, 1918, in Wellsburg the son of John and Emma (Riekena) Snittjer. He attended the Wellsburg Public School and graduated from Wellsburg High School with the class of 1936. He attended Iowa State University at Ames for two years.

He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II and was stationed in Ireland and England.

On May 12, 1949, he was married to Mariam Jo Kennedy at Iowa Falls. Following their marriage they made their home in Wellsburg. She passed away October 29, 1979.

He was owner and operator of the Snittjer Grain Company in Wellsburg for many years.

Sherwood was a member of the Wellsburg Amvets Post 91 for many years and also an Elks club member for 35 years.

Preceding him in death were: his father John Snittjer in October of 1962, his wife, Miriam Snittjer.

Survivors include his mother, Mrs. Emma Snittjer of Wellsburg; one daughter, Mrs. Larry (Margaret) Martin of Humeston; two sons, Pat Kennedy of Wellsburg and Ed Kennedy of Waverly: two grandchildren; and a foster brother, Darold Buckholz of Fairview, Illinois.

Doyen Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 16 September 1982, section 2, pg 1