Gannon, Wilbur Austin – 1908 - 1958

GANNON, KESSLER

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 8/2/2016 at 08:24:56

Wilbur Gannon Killed Instantly by Explosion
Wilbur Austin Gannon, 50, was killed instantly Saturday afternoon at his farm home northeast of Colfax, while cutting an empty DDT barrel with an electric arc welder.
In the report of the accident, Sheriff George Strauser said the explosion blew out the bottom of the barrel and hurled it into Mr. Gannon’s face mask. The explosion was heard by the farm hand in the field, his wife and son. The force of the explosion shattered the windows in the north and west side of the building in which he was working. The Gannon farm is located two miles north and two miles east of Colfax.
Mr. Gannon was born in Mingo, and had lived in this area all his life, the family had lived on the present farm the last 19 years.
Survivors include his wife, Louise, three daughters, Mary Louise, 17, Margaret Ann, 15 and Kathleen, 13; two sons, Richard, 16 and Patrick 6; one sister, Mrs. A. J. Kessler, Tyler, Texas and three brothers, Edward J. Gannon, Colfax, Hugh and Chas., both of Mingo.
He was a member of the Farm Bureau, had served as school director and a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Newton.
Rosary was held and funeral services held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Sacred Heart church in Newton.
Burial was in the Newton Catholic Cemetery.
Source: The Colfax Tribune; July 3, 1955, page 1, col. 3
(Dates on tombstone are Jan. 10, 1908 - Jun. 28, 1958)