STEVENS, Walter M. 1879-1951

STEVENS, BARNES

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/8/2016 at 08:27:15

Walter Stevens Killed In Car-Truck Collision

His Car Skidded On Icy Pavement Into Gasoline Truck Early Friday Morning

Walter Martin Stevens, who had resided in Grundy county all of his life, was killed instantly about six o'clock Friday morning at the intersection of Primary 14 and the Gladbrook paved highway, when his car collided with a loaded gasoline transport truck driven by Claude Henderson from Des Moines.

Mr. Stevens was on his way in his car to Marshalltown, where he was employed by the Lennox Furnace Company. The gasoline truck was coming from the opposite direction. Packed snow had accumulated during the night on the paving. The Stevens car skidded on the slippery pavement into the path of the gasoline truck and truck and car met head-on. The Stevens car was caught by the front bumper of the truck and was carried into a 10-foot ditch near the paving. When the truck stopped across the ditch the car was tossed about 10 feet into a nearby fence. The car remained rightside up. Stevens was dead when his body was removed from the car. The driver of the truck was not hurt.

The Stevens car was almost completely wrecked. The truck was also quite badly damaged. The trailer portion broke loose from the tractor and turned over into the ditch. Some of the gasoline dripped out, but the tank was not ripped open.

Born on Colfax Twp. Farm
Mr. Stevens was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Abner Stevens, pioneer residents of Grundy county. He was born on Colfax township farm and grew up there. He was born Nov. 22, 1879. On Dec. 24, 1902, he and Mayme Barnes were married at Cedar Falls. For several years they made their home on a farm a mile and a half northwest of Grundy Center. The past 30 years they resided in Conrad.

Funeral Service Monday
Funeral services in charge of the Johnston funeral home were held at the Conrad Methodist church Monday afternoon at two o'clock, with Rev. W. G. Warren officiating. Music was by Mrs. Vane Graham and Mrs. Grant Frier, accompanied on the organ by Mrs. Calvin Lundberg. They sang "Where He Leads Me" and "Lead, Kindly Light." Flower attendants were Mrs. Ben Frederick, Mrs. Don Martin and Miss Irene Middleton. Herman Dielschneider, Guy Coulter, W. J. Lounsberry, Harvey Cross, Ralph Engel and Charles Stubbs served as pallbearers. Interment was in the Grundy Center cemetery.

Surviving are the wife and two daughters. One daughter, Isabell Stevens, is a nurse at Deaconess hospital, Marshalltown. The other daughter, Evelyn, is at the Stevens home in Conrad. Other surviving relatives are three brothers: Frank, Fred and George Stevens, all of Cedar Falls. Another brother, John F. Stevens of Grundy Center, died about a year ago. Three children preceded him in death.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 22 November 1951, pg 1