Jim Helgens

HELGENS

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 6/28/2020 at 06:57:02

28 June 1962 - The Anamosa Eureka

MARSHALLTOWN--Jim Helgens, 22, Scotch Grove, star end of the University of Iowa football team, was killed in a two truck crash at Marshalltown on Thursday about 9:30 a.m.

He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Helgens, Scotch Grove.

Helgens had a summer job at the Men's reformatory at Anamosa. He was with a Reformatory truck delivering a load of school furniture to the Soldiers' home in Marshalltown and license plates to the Marshall county treasurer.

Larry Tremmel, inmate driver, assigned to the truck, received injuries to a leg and shoulder.

Reformatory truck collided with a Coca Cola truck just a few blocks from the southwest edge of the downtown business district in Marshalltown. Reformatory truck was traveling north of Fourth street and the Coca Cola truck was traveling west on Lynn street at the time of the collision.

Marshalltown Police department reported Helgens was dead upon arrival at the Deaconess hospital. Tremmel was still to undergo examination at press time. Extent of the injuries to the driver of the Coca Cola truck, which was overturned, were not known.

Helgens started summer work at the Reformatory on June 8, after completing his sophomore year at Iowa university at Iowa City. He was employed in the license department, part of the time working nights.

He was a letterman at end on Coach Jerry Burns' Hawkeye 1961 varsity and was a defensive star, heavily counted on for this fall's team.

Helgens was a star in football, basketball and track at Monticello high school, where he graduated in 1960.

Helgen's body was taken to the Pursel Funeral home in Marshalltown, awaiting further arrangements.