SMITH, Elizabeth 1920-1955

SMITH, DINGEL

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 1/24/2022 at 21:10:02

Morrison Woman Takes Own Life

Mrs. Frank Smith committed suicide at her home in Morrison last Sunday. She hung herself in the basement at her home. Her body was discovered by her 10-year-old son Gary about 1:30 in the afternoon. Her husband was upstairs in the home at the time.

He was lying on the davenport, listening to a television program, when he heard screams from his son in the basement. He rushed down and saw his wife with a piece of clothesline around her neck hanging from a basement rafter. The husband lifted her up and the son removed the cord from his mother's neck. Sheriff John Meyer, Coroner Harold Engelkes and Dr. Reedholm were called at once. The doctor believed the woman had been dead less than a half-hour. The officers did not regard a coroner's inquest necessary, as they were satisfied death was clearly due to suicide.

Mrs. Smith left no message to explain why she took her own life. Of late, members of the family said she was despondent from time to time.

The family had had their dinner as usual, and Mrs. Smith had washed the dishes before leaving the kitchen.

The body was brought to the Engelkes funeral home in Grundy Center where it remained until Wednesday when it was removed to the Presbyterian church at Morrison where services were held in the afternoon.

Rev. C. Haupt officiated at the service. Burial was in the Morrison cemetery. Pallbearers were Everett Bowen, Manne Bakker, Ernest Story, Harry Cooley, Elmer Loren and Fred Story.

Mrs. Smith was 36 years old. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Dingle. She was born in Holland, Iowa, March 20, 1920. At the age of 3 she moved with her parents to Morrison where she resided the remainder of her life. In August 1939 she and Frank Smith were married in Morrison. They lived there continually after their marriage.

Surviving are the husband and three sons, Donald, Larry and Gary. Gary is the youngest of the boys. Other surviving relatives are her mother, two brothers, Carl Dingle, Morrison, and Henry from Dike. She was preceded in death by her father, one sister and one brother.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 8 December 1955, pg 1