SCHMITT, Allen 1948-1963

SCHMITT, MEESTER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/22/2015 at 08:26:33

Mother, Son Die, Seven Injured In Auto Accident

Nine People In Car; All Injured. Two Aside From Dead In Serious Condition.

The most serious automobile crash of the year, costing two lives and demolishing two cars, occurred at the road intersection a mile east of Fern around ten o'clock Sunday.

Killed in the two-car crash were Mrs. George Schmitt, 42, and son Allen, 15. They were killed instantly. The son was thrown out of the car. Mrs. Schmitt was crushed in the car.

There were nine members of the George Schmitt family in the car. They were on their way to church west of Fern. They were driving west on a good graveled road. They were riding in a 1960 Pontiac. The other car involved in the collision was driven by James Ahrenholz, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahrenholz. He was driving south in a 1958 Ford. He was in the car alone. He had taken his mother to church two miles north of Fern, and was on his way home. He was badly but not seriously injured. He received a brain concussion, broken ribs, and cuts about the head. He was taken to the Grundy hospital.

Others in the Schmitt car aside from Mr. and Mrs. Schmitt and Allen, were DeLon, 2 ; Delwyn, 5; Doris, 18; Marilyn, 19; Duane, 8; and a daughter, Malinda, 9. All received injuries and were taken to the hospital.

Two in Serious Condition
Condition on Monday morning of the accident victims at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital was listed as follows:
George Schmitt, condition good. Fractured jaw, multiple bruises and abrasions.
DeLon, in good condition.
Delwyn, condition reported as serious; fractured left leg, severe lacerations, multiple bruises.
Duane, face lacerations and bruises. Condition good.
Doris, fractured right leg, head injuries, multiple lacerations, condition serious.
Marilyn, fractured pelvis, laceration of forehead; multiple bruises. Condition good.
Malinda, treated for bruises. Released from hospital.
James Ahrenholz, age 21, head and face laceration, possible fracture of ribs, chest injuries, multiple bruises, condition fair.

The cars crashed in the middle of the intersection. Neither of the drivers saw the other car approaching. Visibility at the intersection is good both ways and it was a clear day. It was below-zero weather and the side windows of the cars may have been frozen over so that the drivers could see only straight ahead.

The motor of the Ford car was knocked out and it lay on the road after the collision. The car is considered a complete loss. The car took to the ditch by the side of the road. The Schmitt car also ended up in a ditch by the side of the road. It was stopped in a nearby field. It was right side up when it stopped. The car was completely wrecked.

Two doctors from Grundy Center rushed to the scene of the accident and administered first aid. Cars arriving after the accident brought the injured to the hospital. The body of Mrs. Schmitt and the son were taken to the Engelkes Funeral Home in Grundy Center.

Funeral Services Friday
Funeral services will be Friday afternoon. The bodies will be taken to the family home from the funeral home Friday morning. There will be a prayer service at the home at 12:45 and at 1:30 at the Pleasant Valley Reformed church, two miles west of Fern. Burial will be in the cemetery adjoining the church.

The services will be conducted by Rev. Osland, pastor of the Pleasant Valley Reformed church.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 26 December 1963, pg 1

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Many Attend Schmitt Services

Services were held Friday, Dec. 27, in the Pleasant Valley Reformed Church for Mrs. George W. Schmitt, age 41, and her son Allen, age 15, both of whom lost their lives Sunday in an automobile accident one mile east of Fern.

About 500 attended the funeral service at the church. There was a prayer service at the home northwest of Dike at 12:45 p.m. preceding the church service at 1:30 p.m. Prior to being taken to the family home early Friday morning, the bodies were at the Engelkes Funeral Home in Grundy Center.

Matilda Schmitt was born June 5, 1922, in Colfax township, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Meester. She attended rural school in Colfax township. She was married to George W. Schmitt on February 18, 1943, at the Pleasant Valley Reformed church.

They farmed in Fairfield township. She is survived by her husband and six children: Marilyn, Doris, Melinda, Duane, Delwyn and Delon; her father; two sisters, Mrs. Cornelius Schmitt of Dike, and Mrs. Herbert Johnson of Wellsburg; and two brothers Melvin and Harlyn, both of Holland.

Allen Schmitt was born in Waterloo, November 23, 1948. He attended school at the Dike Community school. He was a member of the freshman class. He is survived by his father, three brothers and three sisters.

Burial was in the Pleasant Valley Reformed church cemetery. Services were conducted by Rev. Gerald Osland.

Pallbearers for Mrs. Schmitt were: Johannes Meester, Alfred Meester, Herman Meester, Thomas C. Meester, Gerald Meester and Marlyn Pruis. For Allen, pallbearers were Nathan Groote, Delbert Hemmen, Roger Freese, Kenneth Schmitt, Donal Schmitt and Dean Schmitt.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 2 January 1964, pg 9