PRICE, Ray 1902-1944

PRICE, CONNELL

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/10/2016 at 07:17:54

Ray Price Dies From Injuries Received In Car Crash

Five Others Receive Minor Injuries When Michael Lynch Car Gets Out of Control and Turns Over; Men Were Returning Home from Work at Waterloo

Ray Price of Grundy Center died at St. Francis hospital in Waterloo at nine o'clock Saturday morning from injuries he received when a car in which he was riding home from work at Waterloo got out of control a mile north of Grundy Center Friday evening and turned over. Ray was riding in the front seat with the driver and owner of the car, Michael Lynch, and Harlen Springer was seated in the middle.

As the car left the paving and swung around, Ray was thrown out through the front door and he lay unconscious some distance from the car when he was picked up. He suffered a fractured skull and did not regain consciousness. He was taken to the hospital as soon as a local doctor looked him over. Ray would have been 42 years old had he lived until the 10th of next July.

Six In The Car
There were six Grundy men in the car at the time that it crashed. Besides Ray Price and Michael Lynch, there were Ed Cullinan, Gus Rindels Jr., Bernard Buus and Harlen Springer. The men were employed at the Rath Packing plant and they were on their way home after completing their day's work. The last three named men were in the the back seat and they were asleep when they were awakened by the swerving motion of the car and the crash. The car was faced in the opposite direction when it came to rest. It had evidently turned completely over. Rindels, Buus and Springer got out of the car. They don't remember how. Ed Cullinan got out of the car window after he kicked out the glass. Michael Lynch was pinned under the car behind the steering wheel. The car had to be raised to release him.

Mr. and Mrs. Al Slickers, who were on their way to Holland to attend church services, were the first to reach the wrecked car and they helped the two occupants out after which they returned to Grundy Center for a doctor and an ambulance. The injured men were all brought to a doctor's office where they were checked over.

Tore Ligaments in Shoulder
Ed Cullinan seemed to be badly injured and he was taken to the hospital for an X-ray examination. The examination showed torn ligaments in one shoulder. He came home after the examination. Harlen Springer received a broken wrist and cuts about the head and face. Gus Rindels received slight injuries to his back. Buus suffered a cracked rib. Michael Lynch suffered bruises about the head and face and from the shock of the collision.

Believe Tire Blew Out
It is believed that a front tire of the car blew out which put the car out of control. Later when the car was examined two tires were flat. The car was a 1942 model Chevrolet and the tires seemed to be in good condition. The body of the car is very badly twisted and battered. All the window glass excepting the glass in the back of the car was broken.

The men had been employed at the Rath Packing plant for many months and they had been riding back and forth each day in the same car. They had been in the habit of leaving here about five in the morning and returning about seven in the evening.

Price Funeral Monday
Funeral services for Ray Price were held at the Catholic church in Grundy center Monday morning. The services were conducted by the local pastor, Rev. Father Leo Entringer. Burial was in the Catholic cemetery in Grundy Center.

Ray Price was born on a farm near Whitten, July 10, 1902. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Price. He grew up on the farm. On August 30, 1923, he was married to Anastasia Connell of Grundy Center. The couple resided in Grundy Center during the greater portion of their married life. For a number of years Ray operated an electric shop in Grundy Center. The past two years he was employed at the Rath packing plant.

Mrs. Harold Lynch, a niece of Mr. Price, lived with the Price family many years and up to the time of her marriage.

Surviving beside the widow is one son, Lester, who is in the U.S. Navy and stationed at Purdue university. Other surviving relatives are his father, Alvin Price of Eldora; two sisters, Edna, Mrs. Paul Klosky from Detroit, and Jennie, Mrs. Warren Landers, of Davenpot. One brother, Dewey, resides at Davenport.

Relatives from a distance who were here for the funeral service were Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Price and two daughters from Davenport; George Connell, Cedar Rapids; Dan Connell, Delavan, Ill.; Mrs. W. J. Connell, Waterloo; T. E. Connell and daughters, Waterloo; Miss Mary Connell, Waterloo; Mr. and Mrs. Will Meaney, Cedar Falls; and Mr. and Mrs. Milo Menenhall, Marshalltown; Alvin Price, Eldora, and Mr. and Mrs. Warren Landers of Davenport.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 6 January 1944, pg 1