Crawford, Shelby R. 1962-1966

CRAWFORD, SCULL, MCMAINS, LAUBER, ANDERSON, YOUNG

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 4/26/2005 at 09:47:17

SHELBY R. CRAWFORD, 4, FALLS THRU RIVER ICE
Shelby R. Crawford

A fun-filled afternoon of play turned suddenly to tragedy Sunday when the four-year-old daughter of a Grinnell couple fell thru the ice on the Skunk River at Lynnville and drowned.

Shelby Renee Crawford, daughter of Ronald and Barbara Crawford of Grinnell, was playing with her small cousin, Regina Scull of Grinnell, when the two little girls strayed out onto the ice below the dam at Lynnville.

This was about 1:30 p.m. and apparently the bright sunshine had weakened the ice and it broke, plunging the little girl into the icy waters. Regina ran to the home of her gandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Scull of Lynnville, and told them, "Shelby fell into the ocean", and the search was begun immediately.

But the thick ice hampered first efforts to find the girl and Jasper County Deputy Sheriffs Allan Wheeler and James Verwers quickly sought additional aid. Chain saws were brought in to cut through the eight-inch thick ice and scuba divers were summoned from Des Moines It is estimated that more than 100 men were involved in the search for Shelby's body.

As darkness approached, all efforts at retrieval had been fruitless and emergency generators were set up to provide light while the search went on.

Then about 7:45 p.m., the body came to the surface in one of the holes that had been cut through the ice. Recovery was about 50 feet below the point where she had broken through.

Shelby and her mother had been visiting at the home of the Robert Sculls, parents of Mrs. Crawford.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday from the Lynnville Friends, church, with the Rev. Peter Schuler, pastor officiating. Friends may call at the Smith Funeral Home until 9 a.m. Wednesday and thereafter at the Lynnville Friends church Interment is to be in Rock Creek cemetery west of Grinnell.

Born March 15, 1962 at Grinnell, she was the only child of Ronald and Brabara Scull Crawford. She was a member of the Lynnville Friends church Sunday school.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Scull of Lynnville; her paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Max Crawford of Grinnell; her great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl McMains of Lynnville and Mrs. John M. Crawford and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lauber, all of Grinnell; and her great great grandmothers, Mrs. Bert Anderson and Mrs. Ada Young, both of Grinnell.

LYNNVILLE RITES CONDUCTED FOR SHELBY CRAWFORD
Shelby Renee Crawford

Funeral services for Shelby Renee Crawford, 4-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Crawford of Grinnell, were held Wednesday afternoon from the Lynnville Friends church.

The little girl was drowned Sunday aftrernoon when she fell through the ice on the Skunk River near Lynnville. Officiating at the services was the pastor, the Rev. Peter Schuler. Organ music was provided by Mrs. Howard Macy.

Serving as pallbearers were John Collum, Gael Doane, Terry Gross and Ronald Dunwoody. Honorary pallbearers were Charles Bryan, Clifford Bouma, Melvin Ratcliff and Chester Sears.

Interment was in Rock Creek cemetery west of Grinnell with Smith Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Originally submitted on Fri Nov 21 15:19:16 1997 by Esther Breeden, breeden@townsqr.com