Mortenson, Edward Roy (1931-1973)

MORTENSON, KOOP, BARTH, OLSON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 5/10/2015 at 13:28:49

Daily Freeman Journal, Wednesday, October 24, 1973

Local farmer loses life in granary mishap

KAMRAR - A rural Webster City farmer lost his life in a farm accident near here early Tuesday evening. Ed R. Mortenson, 42, died instantly of chest injuries when a granary wall gave way and pinned him against another wall.

Mortenson was working alone in an overhead bin in a crib on the Alex Barth farm 2-1/2 miles east of here when the tragedy occurred at about 6 p.m. Barth is Mortenson's father-in-law.

Mortenson was reportedly standing in a nearly empty bin when the wall of an adjacent bin, which was full of soybeans, gave way and crushed him against another dividing wall.

Barth was allegedly unloading soybeans at the crib, and after dumping the load called out to Mortenson. When his son-in-law failed to reply, he had his wife call the Kamrar rescue squad while he went to the field to summon the assistance of Bud Schweppe, rural Webster City, who was combining Barth's soybeans.

The rescue crew worked for nearly 1-1/2 hours to reach Mortenson's body, removing some 300 to 400 bushels of soybeans to move the collapsed wall.

Hamilton County Medical Examiner Dr. Sam Kuramoto stated that Mortenson died of a crushed left chest.

Mortenson farmed southeast of Webster City in Independence township.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the First United Presbyterian church near Kamrar with the Rev. Damon Reese and Rev. Marvin L. Camp officiating. Burial will be in the Presbyterian cemetery.

The body will lie in state at the Foster Funeral home until 9:30 a.m. Friday when it will be taken to the church.

Edward Roy Mortenson, son of Irvin M. and Harmke Koop Mortenson, was born Jan. 4, 1931 on a farm near Radcliffe. He was reared and educated in that community.

He was united in marriage June 20, 1952, to Elinor B. Barth, and the couple farmed south of Kamrar for a year and a half, moving then to rural Webster City where they farmed in the Kamrar-Webster City area. He served in the United States Army during 1955 and 1956.

He is survived by his wife and one son, Tim John; his mother, Mrs. Harmke Mortenson of Jewell; three brothers, Marvin of Story City, Harold of Cherokee and Allan of Radcliffe; one sister, Mrs. Arnold (Elnora) Olson of Fresno, Calif., and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by one daughter, his father and one brother in infancy.

Mortenson was a member of the Calvary Baptist church of Webster City of which he and his wife were junior high youth sponsors. He was a member of the Big Brothers, a 4-H leader and was active in the Hamilton County Amateur Radio Club and the Iowa 160-Meter Network.