Dingman, William Dale (1932-1953)

DINGMAN, VANDEVENTER, GRAHAM, MIX, HANEN, NEUBAUER, DOOLITTLE, KLECKNER

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 11/20/2014 at 15:56:22

Daily Freeman Journal, Tuesday, August 18, 1953

3 Seriously Hurt in Crash at Highview
Fifth Mishap In This County Since Aug. 1

The fifth serious auto accident of the month in Hamilton county brought serious injuries to three persons last night. The accident happened about 11:20 p.m. yesterday, 2 miles west of Highview.

The cars, which smashed head-on, were driven by Homer Conkling, 25, of Webster City and Mrs. Nadyne Linn, 37, of Arcadia, Calif.

Mrs. Linn was reported in critical condition today and still in severe shock, by her physician. She had multiple fractures of both legs, both above and below the knee and one break was compound; a broken left hip, pelvis in several places, chest and left arm, and bad lacerations on the legs.

Conkling has multiple contusions and a possible fracture of the leg.

Bill Dingman, a passenger with Conkling, is in poor condition today with face lacerations, a broken nose, concussion and possible skull fracture.

Sheriff E. R. Lear who investigated the accident, said that Mrs. Linn was going west in a 1951 Oldsmobile, returning to her home after visiting in Lamont.

Conkling was going east in a 1953 Nash.

The cars collided head-on and then bounced apart, the Linn car falling off the road and sliding down an embankment. The Conkling car remained on the road.

Both drivers were pinned in the cars by the wreckage and were removed with difficulty. Conkling's foot was pinned and he was given a hypo to deaden pain while officers removed his shoe and worked his foot free.

Mrs. Linn, a registered nurse, remained conscious and was able to direct officers in removing her from the car.

A son and friend were driving in a car ahead of Mrs. Linn and witnessed the accident.

Both cars were demolished and it took over an hour to clear the highway so that traffic could move again. Sheriff Lear said that cars were backed up for about a mile.

It was the fifth serious accident of the month which has cost two lives and nine injuries on the highways. The accident followed another fatality yesterday when Harold Morrison was killed in an airplane crash near Jewell.

The month started off with a fatality when Harold Kepler was killed on Aug. 2 as his car hit a bridge over Lyon creek near the east city limits. His wife was critically injured in the crash and is still hospitalized.

On Aug. 8, Howard Woodmansee and Ronald Roberts were injured when their car hit a bridge over the Boone river near Briggs Woods. Roberts is still in the hospital with head injuries, but Woodmansee has been released.

On Aug. 9 two teen-age boys were hospitalized and three others escaped injury when the car in which they were riding turned over on County Road E.

Last Wednesday, less than a week ago, a motorcyclist lost his life when he rammed a loaded gravel truck near Williams.

It is one of the worst months for accidents in the history of the county.

Daily Freeman Journal, Thursday, August 20, 1953

Wm Dingman Dies Following Highway Crash

Injuries Suffered in Monday Night Collision Are Fatal

Wm. (Bill) Dingman 21-year-old Webster City youth who was injured in Monday night's auto crash west of Highview, died at Hamiton county hospital this morning.

His death brought to eight the number of persons who have died as a result of highway accidents in Hamilton county this year.

Son of J. W. Dingman, 128 Apple Avenue, the young man was a passenger in the auto driven by Homer Conkling, 25, also of Webster City, when Conkling's car crashed headon into an auto driven by Mrs. Nadyne Linn, 37, of Arcadia, Calif.

The mishap occurred Monday evening two miles west of Highview on Highway 20. Mrs. Linn was transferred yesterday to the University hospitals at Iowa City for further treatment of multiple fractures of the legs, hip, pelvis and arm. She was listed then as in critical condition.

Conkling suffered multiple concussions and a possible fracture of one leg.

Both cars were demolished by the terrific impact of the crash and both drivers were pinned in the front seats for a considerable time before they could be released. It took more than an hour to clear the highway for traffic following the collision which was listed as the fifth serious accident in the county this year.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Foster funeral home with the Rev. Jonathan Nielsen officiating. Burial will be in Graceland cemetery.

William Dale Dingman, son of James W. and Ethel [Vandeventer] Dingman, was born Feb. 22, 1932, at Webster City. He was educated in the Webster City schools.

March 3, 1950, he enlisted in the armed services and on June 15, 1950, he was sent to Korea, serving 10 months in that area.

In March, 1953, he was discharged from the service, and since his return to this city had been doing construction work.

He was preceded in death by his mother who died Mar. 25, 1953, by one brother, Francis Marion. He is survived by his father, six sisters and four brothers: Mrs. Melvin (Wilma) Graham, Cainesville, Mo.; Mrs. Marvin (Lila) Mix of Englewood, Colo.; Mrs. Lillian Hanen, Van Wert, Iowa; Mrs. Lewis (Belva) Neubauer of Williams; Mrs. Geo. (Viola) Doolittle and Mrs. Marvin (Mavis) Kleckner of Webster City; Isaac Dingman of Burlington; Vernon Dingman of Lineville, Iowa, Duane Dingman of Webster City and Gerald Dingman, at home.

He was baptized in the Baptist faith and was a member of the First Baptist church at Webster City.