Short, Grant Charles (1959-1977)

SHORT, KENNEDY, WHITTAKER

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 11/3/2025 at 10:41:59

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa
Wednesday, August 31, 1977

3 killed in Lehigh motorcycle crash
Grant Short, W.C., one of victims

Three young people, including Grant Charles Short, 18, Webster City, were instantly killed early last evening in a head-on crash of two motorcycles on a blacktop highway east of Lehigh, Webster County Sheriff Ray McCoy said today.

Sheriff McCoy said the other two victims were Valerie Ann Mortensen, 17, of Fort Dodge, who was a passenger on Short's cycle, and Larry Dee Johnson, 21, of Lehigh, driver of the other motorcycle.

The sheriff said that his office and the highway patrol are continuing in the investigation that a third motorcycle might have been involved in the tragedy.

We have reasons to believe there might have been another cycle there," McCoy added, pointing out that Johnson's motorcycle, heading east at a high rate of speed, was in the wrong lane, and could have been racing the third machine. Charges are pending in the accident, the sheriff said.

The accident occurred at 8:15 p.m. one mile east of Lehigh on County Road D-46. Short and his passenger were heading west at the time of the mishap, and there were no skid marks at the scene, indicating that the machines collided at a high rate of speed.

Johnson's cycle reportedly skidded 19 feet after the impact and Short's machine slid 34 feet, according to the investigating officers.

Both machines were totally demolished, and the bodies of the victims were reported lying on the shoulder on the northside of the highway, next to the cycles.

The tragic crash was investigated by Webster County Deputy Sheriffs Terry Fuller and Jerry Thoma; Lehigh Marshal Chet Klein and Highway Patrol Trooper Dave Tjepkes.

Short was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Baron Short of Webster City.

Funeral services for Grant Charles Short will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the United Church of Christ, Congregational with the Rev. Alva Hohl officiating and with burial in Graceland cemetery.

The body will lie in state at the Foster Funeral home until 8:30 a.m. Friday, when it will be taken to the church.

Grant Charles Short, son of Baron and Janet Kennedy Short, was born July 1, 1959, in Webster City where he was reared and educated.

He had been employed at the Modern Farm Systems in Webster City.

He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Baron Short of this city; three sisters, Tracy, Lisa and Pam, all at home; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Colin Kennedy of Webster City and Mrs. Ethel Whittaker of Bradenton, Fla.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather.

Mr. Short was a member of the United Church of Christ, Congregational.