Lothe, Lewis – 1898-1942

HESSON, LOTHE, MATHENIS, WALHBERG

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 11/15/2016 at 17:20:56

3 Killed in Train-Car Crash Here
Lewis Lothe and Twin Sons Die; Schnathorst Hurt
Tragedy Happens when Lothe Car Collides With Rock island Passenger Train
Tragedy struck suddenly at 10:30 o’clock this morning in northeast Newton.
Three members of the Lewis Lothe family were killed and a fourth person was seriously injured when the Lothe car was struck by a westbound Rock Island passenger train at 10:30 o’clock this morning on the northeast Newton crossing near the Failor greenhouse.
The dead are:
Lewis Lothe, farmer living southeast of Newton.
Darrell Lothe, 16, a son.
Duane Lothe, 16, a son. The boys were twins.
Seriously injured:
Robert Schnathorst, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Schnathorst of north of Newton.
Details of the tragic mishap were incomplete late this morning.
Newton Police Chief L. A. McCall said that it was believed the Lothe car was driving south on the graveled road there and drove onto the tracks of the grade crossing in the path of the westbound passenger train.
It was thought the driver may have been blinded by the morning sun.
The Lothe car was thrown about 160 feet west of the crossing and landed about 18 feet north of the tracks, a twisted mass of wreckage, Chief McCall said.
The body of Mr. Lothe, driver, was still behind the wheel. The bodies of his two sons were thrown clear of the car. Schnathorst who was also thrown clear of the car was in a dazed condition when found.
The train, No. 9, a local passenger train, came to a stop within two blocks and backed up to give what assistance the train crew could provide.
Lee Snyder of Rock island, engineer of the passenger, is an old-timer on the road and makes this run regularly. After assistance had been provided, the train went on to Des Moines, leaving here at 11:07.
Source: Newton Daily News; Saturday, March 21, 1942

Lothe Services To Be Tuesday
Rites for Tragedy Victims To Be Held At Presbyterian Church
Funeral services for Lewis Lothe, of near Newton and his two twin sons, Duane Lewis and Darrell H. Lothe – all killed in a tragic railroad crossing accident here, late Saturday morning – will be held at Newton First Presbyterian church Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock.
The funeral arrangements were being completed for the three accident victims. Robert Schnathorst, 20 year-old Iowa State college student who also was an occupant of the automobile involved in the crash, was reported recovering at Skiff Memorial hospital here.
Schnathorst, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Schnathorst, suffered a brain concussion and numerous abrasions. He was expected to be released from the hospital soon.
Fatal Crash
Mr. Lothe and his 16-year-old twin sons motored to the Schnathorst farm home north of here Saturday morning to see some hogs the two farm youths were interested in purchasing. Schnathorst accompanied the Lothes as they returned to Newton and the fatal crash occurred on the Rock Island crossing on East Eighth street North about 10:30 o’clock.
Schnathorst, seated on the right side of the rear seat, and Mr. Lothe, who was driving, remained in the wreckage of the car and the Lothe boys were thrown clear by the impact. The train was westbound.
School officials were making arrangements this morning to excuse classmates and friends of the two youths from classes Tuesday afternoon to attend the funeral services. The boys, both juniors in high school here, were prominent agricultural students.
Surviving Relatives
The three bodies will lie in state at the Murdoch Funeral home before the funeral, and friends may meet at the funeral home after 5 o’clock this afternoon. The Rev. F. D. Boldt, minister of the local Lutheran church, will be in charge of the services, and burial will be at the Newton Union cemetery.
Immediate relatives surviving are Mrs. Lothe, the former Ferne Hesson, and her two sons, Alan, 14, and Burton, 12. Mr. Lothe is also survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nels Lothe of Milltown, Wis.; two sisters, Mrs. Victor Walhberg of Milltown and Mrs. Joe Mathenis of Casper, Wyo., and a brother, Ole Lothe of Lombard, Ill. The boy’s maternal grandmother, Mrs. Harry Hesson of Newton, also survives.
Mr. Lothe was born Feb. 27, 1898, Emmet county, near Estherville, Ia. The family moved to Wisconsin when Lewis was 4 years old.
Move to Iowa
He became a member of the Milltown, Wis., Lutheran church in 1915. On May 31, 1923, he married Ferne Hesson in Minnesota. Mrs. Lothe’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hesson, were living in Minnesota at the time. Four sons were born to the couple. The twins were born Dec. 7, 1925, at Taylor Falls, Minn.
The family moved to Jasper county from Minnesota 14 years ago, and for the past six years has lived on the L. B. Ritter farm in Newton township about a mile southwest of the east city limits of Newton. Harry Hesson, maternal grandfather of the four children, has preceded them in death.
Neighbors and friends are doing farm chores about the farm, which includes milking a herd of 16 cows, since the tragic accident.
An inquest into the accident was to be held in the courthouse this afternoon at 4 o’clock, Ralph V. Toland, county coroner, said.
Source: Newton Daily News; Saturday, March 23, 1942