Woodmansee, Donald John (1929-1950)

WOODMANSEE, ALLEN, TRAMPEL, MALLO, KENNEDY

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/11/2014 at 17:15:12

Daily Freeman Journal, November 9, 1950

W.C. Youth Dies After Highway 20 Crash

Driver Fatally Hurt As Auto Misses Curve

Don Woodmansee, 20, Victim of Crash at West Edge of City

Don Woodmansee, 20-year old Webster City youth, died at Hamilton county hospital at 1:30 a.m. today following an auto accident near the S-curve on Highway 20 at the west edge of the city.

His was the first traffic death inside the city limits since March 3, 1946, and was the second traffic fatality in Hamilton county this year.

According to police officers, the accident occurred shortly before 1 o'clock, Woodmansee, driving an auto belonging to his brother-in-law, Howard Mallo, passed another auto on the straight-way just before coming into the big S-curve. While attempting to get back on the right side of the road, Woodmansee apparently lost control of his machine which plunged into the open ditch at the curve, then shot into the driveway near the Curve-inn.

The car hit a big rock lining the driveway, narrowly missing a Diesel fuel pump, then carromed into a semi-truck tractor owned by Frankie Davis of Webster City. The impact was so strong, police said, that the truck was shoved sideways into Davis' auto which was parked nearby.

Woodmansee's car caught fire, but the flames were quickly extinguished after the driver was pulled from the wreckage and rushed to the hospital where he died shortly afterwards.

Records at Sheriff E. R. Lear's office showed today that Woodmansee's was the first traffic death in Hamilton county since June 25, when Mrs. Marjory Wilson, 70, of Des Moines was killed in a crash at the Blairsburg intersection.

Funeral services for Woodmansee will be at 10:30 Saturday morning at the Foster Funeral home with Rev. Dewey Kooy officiating. Burial will be in Graceland cemetery.

Donald John Woodmansee, son of Thomas and Tressa Woodmansee, was born Nov. 25, 1929 at Webster City. He attended the Webster City schools, then engaged in farming for a short time before accepting employment in masonry work with Chet Ambrose of this city. He was later employed by the state highway commission for six months, but recently had re-entered the masonry field.

He was married March 28, 1948, to Lone Allen, and the couple had lived in Webster City since that time.

He is survived by his wife, his mother, four sisters and two brothers; Mrs. Frank (Blanche) Trampel, Mrs. Howard (Velda) Mallo, Mrs. Evan (Mabel) Kennedy, Veda Mae Woodmansee, Howard and Albert Woodmansee, all of Webster City. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.