MURDOCK, Blanche B. 1904-1956

MURDOCK, LACKEY

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/28/2019 at 21:14:48

2 Women Killed In County's Worst Auto Crash

Mrs. John Murdock and Her Mother, Mrs. Eva Lackey, Were Killed Instantly; Mrs. Vernon Kinsinger Seriously Injured

The most tragic automobile accident in Grundy county for many years occurred last Thursday forenoon at a gravel road intersection a mile south of the Grundy fairgrounds. Two women were killed outright in the accident and another very seriously injured.

The women who were killed were Mrs. John Murdock prominent social and civic worker from Melrose township, and her mother, Mrs. Eva Lackey from Statesville, North Carolina, who for a number of years had made her home with her two daughters in Grundy county, Mrs. Murdock and Mrs. O. D. Young.

The two women were driving the Murdock 1955 Mercury. Mrs. Murdock was driving. They were going east. They were on their way to the Schildroth farm, where Mrs. Lackey was going to visit while Mrs. Murdock was to attend a Farm Bureau meeting in Grundy Center. Mrs. Vernon Kinsinger was driving north in a 1951 Kaiser. She was alone in her car and she was also on the way to attend a Farm Bureau meeting in Grundy Center.

The two cars crashed at the intersection. The Mercury struck the Kaiser on its left side and the entire side of the car was torn off. The front end of the Mercury was caved in.

The Mercury moved forward a short distance and came to rest in a five-foot ditch on the north side of the road. The doors of the Mercury were torn off and the two women were tossed through the right door to the ground some 15 to 20 feet from where the car stopped. It is believed both women were killed when they struck the ground. A doctor who attended them a few minutes after the accident found no remaining signs of life.

Mrs. Kinsinger Pinned Under Her Car
Mrs. Kinsinger's car after it was hit was thrown forward. It skidded over a curb railing and was stopped when it hit a telephone pole. Mrs. Kinsinger was thrown out of the car and she was pinned under the car after it stopped. It was impossible for the men who were at the accident shortly after it happened to lift the car from the woman's body. A nearby farmer came to the rescue with his hydraulic lift and Mrs. Kinsinger was removed and taken to the Grundy hospital in the Grundy Center ambulance. She was unconscious when she was taken to the hospital and for several days she did not know of the tragic consequence of the collision. One of her legs was broken, there was a broken pelvis and a broken shoulder bone.

Dead Women Removed To Funeral Homes
The body of Mrs. Murdock was taken to the Engelkes Funeral Home and the body of Mrs. Lackey was taken to the Ferree Funeral Home. Later in the day both bodies were taken to the Andrle-Creps Funeral Home in Eldora.

No One Can Explain Why The Accident Happened
No one has an explanation as to why the accident happened. It was a clear day and the visibility from all directions is good. Both drivers could have seen the other approaching car.

Browns Heard Crash
Mr. and Mrs. Marion Brown who live about a quarter of a mile west of the intersection, were in the yard at their home at the time and they heard the crash and saw a cloud of dust rising up. They rushed to the scene of the collision and were the first to reach there. Others came soon thereafter and within a half hour cars were lined up on all sides of the road to view the gruesome spectacle. This made the fourth automobile casualty in Grundy county during the year, and the third within a week.

Last Rites Sunday
Funeral services for Mrs. Murdock were held at the Ivester church Sunday afternoon. There was a very large attendance at the service. Burial was in the Sheller cemetery. Rev. Charles Albin conducted the services.

A prayer service was held for Mrs. Lackey on Saturday at the funeral home. Her body was sent to Statesville, North Carolina, for burial at her former home.

Mrs. Murdock
Mrs. Murdock was born at Statesville, North Carolina, May 24, 1904. Her maiden name was Blanche Lackey. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Lackey. She grew up in North Carolina. She graduated from high school in that state and had one year at Teachers College. She was married to John Henry Murdock in Hiddenite, No. Carolina, 32 years ago.

The couple came to Grundy county and to a farm in Melrose township twenty years ago where they resided continually. Since coming to the county Mrs. Murdock has been very active in church and civic work and for several years she was a leader in Farm Bureau activities in Grundy county. She was a regular attendant at the Ivester church. For 15 years she was a teacher in the Junior department at the church. She served as vice chairman of the Grundy County Farm Bureau Women's committee and she also served as a member of the legislative committee of the Farm Bureau.

Made Trip to Africa
Last winter Mr. and Mrs. Murdock made a trip to Nigeria, in West Africa, to visit their daughter and her husband, Dr. and Mrs. Blough who are Brethren Medical Missionaries in Garkida Hospital, Garkida, Nigeria, Africa. They made the long round-trip by plane.

Her Hobby
As her hobbies, Mrs. Murdock listed, "A special interest in people, both new and old friends." Among her achievements she listed her share in raising a good family, in a community she tried to make better, and to help bring educational programs to community farm homemakers. Her final interest she stated was in cooking. Among her other many duties, Mrs. Murdock for some time supplied The Grundy Register with a very complete news service from the Ivester vicinity.

Her Family
Surviving members of her immediate family are the husband, one son and three daughters. The son is John Murdock, who is a student in the Wellsburg community school; three daughters, Betty J. Murdock, a nurse at Iowa City; Mrs. Janelle Kewatt, Des Moines; and Mrs. Marvin Blough, Nigeria, Africa. There are five grandchildren.

Mrs. Murdock came from a family of 15 children, twelve of whom are living.

Pallbearers at the Sunday services were Otis Waldo, John Essig, Alfred Kruschwitz, D. L. Butler, Daryl Cobb and John Cretin.

Mrs. Otis Waldo and Mrs. Gene Murphy were in charge of the flowers. Mrs. Kenneth Cakerice was the organist and vocalists were Mrs. Howard Sheller, Mrs. Merle Kirkdorffer, Glen Button, and Galen Albright.

Here from a distance to attend the services of Mrs. Murdock and Mrs. Lackey were Betty Murdock; Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Kewatt, of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Lackey and June, Mr. and Mrs. Coley Wall, Burlington, N. Carolina; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Lackey, Rockingham, No. Carolina; Paul Lackey, London, Ky.; Mr. and Mrs. Ivy Lackey, Huntington, N. Carolina; Mr. and Mrs. Everett Lackey and sons, J. B. and Francis, Stevenville, Texas; Jack Lackey, Hyattsville, Md.; Mrs. Mary Campbell, Alexandria, Va.; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Peffer, Denver, Colo.; Mrs. Roy Reavis, Statesville, N. Carolina; Harvey Murdock, Statesville, No. Carolina; Mr. and Mrs. Vance Murdock, Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Mr. and Mrs. Glen Murdock, California.

Ronald Murdock, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Murdock and Mr. and Mrs. Weldon Luke of Jefferson, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. James Crouch, Gladbrook; Mr. and Mrs. Bob Wilkerson, Reinbeck; Mr. Catherine Cameron and daughter Billie of Waterloo; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Turner, Henry Harden of Tama; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Mingus, Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Rosine, Madrid; Elaine Ruth, Vermillion, So. Dakota; Ruth Armstrong, Cedar Rapids.

Mrs. Eva Lackey
Mrs. Eva Lackey, who with her daughter, Mrs. John Murdock, met sudden death in an automobile collision last Friday, was a native of North Carolina. Following a prayer service at the funeral home in Eldora, her body was sent to Statesville, North Carolina for burial.

She was the mother of fifteen children, twelve of whom are living. Her husband is dead and buried at Statesville, North Carolina. She came to Grundy county five years ago and made her home with her daughters, Mrs. Murdock and Mrs. O. D. Young. She was 84 years old. Due to infirmities brought on by advanced age, she did not leave the home of her daughters often.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 11 October 1956, pg 1