Barton, Wade LeRoy (1971-1976)

BARTON, NOKES, BUTLER

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 5/23/2021 at 19:34:22

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Monday, June 28, 1976

Two dead in Williams car-truck crash

Mother, son are victims of collision

A semi truck-auto accident shortly after 9 a.m. today, two miles north of Williams on Highway 20 claimed the lives of a mother and her four-year old son, both Woolstock residents.

According to authorities, Mrs. LeRoy (Ranee Ann) Barton, 35, and her four-year old son Wade, were southbound on the north-south county blacktop when an eastbound semi-truck on re-route Highway 20 struck the auto broadside, killing both occupants in the car.

A truck driver, Richard Hultman, of Cherokee, was driving from the Simonsen Mill Rendering Plant Inc. of Quimby to Alden to pick up a load of feed ingredients when the accident occurred.

Early reports indicate that the driver was only slightly injured in the accident and was taken to Ellsworth Memorial hospital in Iowa Falls for treatment.

According to Mark Simonsen, advisor for the rendering company, Hultman has been employed by the firm for almost five years.

Sheriff Jerry Farnham's office reported this noon that the accident was investigated by three members of his office - himself and Deputies Scott Anderson and Roy Olmstead, in addition to Highway Patrolman Ben Urban of Clarion and two other patrol officers from another district.

The two victims were pronounced dead at the scene by Dr. Walter B. Goff, II of Jewell, Hamilton county's medical examiner, according to the sheriff's office.

Funeral services for the two crash victims are pending.

The two deaths marked the third and fourth fatalities in Hamilton county this year.

Charges are pending following investigation.

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Tuesday, June 29, 1976

Wade LeRoy Barton, son of Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Barton, was born Dec. 19, 1971.

He is survived by his father; one sister, Sherri Linn; one brother, Chet Allen; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Nokes of Webster City and Mr. and Mrs. Hector Butler of rural Blairsburg.

He was a member of the nursery class at the Mulberry Center United Methodist church.