Bertelsen, Everett & Maude (d. 1954)

BERTELSEN, BAUER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 8/26/2022 at 12:03:17

25 March 1954 - The Anamosa Eureka

MARTELLE - Anamosa farm couple was instantly killed Wednesday, March 24, at about 4:45 p.m. when their car was struck by the streamline train, the Milwaukee road's Midwest Hiawatha.

Dead were Everett Bertelsen, 57, and his wife, Maude, who was observing her 58th birthday Wednesday. Their car was struck where county road crosses the Milwaukee railroad about a quarter-mile east of Martelle.

Train was travelling at about 76 miles per hour, according to A. Koch, Perry, the train's engineer. The train carried the car with Bertelsen's body in it about a half mile down the track.

Mrs. Bertelsen's badly mangled body was left between the tracks about 300-yards from the crossing. Bertelsen was virtually decapitated.

Engineer Koch told Sheriff L. M. Dreibelbis that he saw the Bertelsen car approach the crossing and stop or almost stop with the front bumper over the south rail.

What Bertelsen attempted to do then, was merely guess work, the sheriff said, but the car spurted forward into the path of the train. Koch said that, if Bertelsen hadn't moved, the train would have hit the front end and spun the car around with the possibility of the couple escaping.

Car was wrapped around the front end of the train and it took until 8:30 p.m. to get it cut away and pulled off the tracks so the train could advance. Front wheels of the engine were off the tracks and it was 9 p.m. before the train moved.

At the time of the wreck the couple apparently were heading home from Cedar Rapids the sheriff said.

Damage to the train was slight, but a guard across the front was jammed underneath so badly it had to be cut away before the train started.

Bodies were taken to Goettsch funeral home, Anamosa. Couple has a foster son, Wayne, and Mrs. Bartelsen has a brother, Leroy Bauer, Clinton. Mr. Bertelsen had no known relatives.

1 April 1954 - The Anamosa Journal

Funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Everette Bertelsen were held Saturday, March 27, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran church, Anamosa, with Rev. H. E. Hahn officiating.

Following services here, the bodies were taken to Elvira, the couple's former home in Clinton county, for another service and burial. Goettsch funeral home was in charge.

Mr. and Mrs. Bertelsen died when their car was struck by a diesel passenger train at a crossing just east of Martelle Wednesday, March 24, at about 4:47 p.m.

Her badly mangled body was left between the tracks about 300 yards from the point of impact while his body remained in the car which was carried more than a half-mile on the front of the speeding train.

It took about four hours to cut the car off the train with torches and extricate his body. Front wheels of the train were knocked off the track, but damage to the train was slight. It was after 9 p.m. before the train was ready to resume its eastbound trip.

Bertelsen's were apparently returning from Cedar Rapids, Sheriff L. M. Dreibelbis said, although it isn't known for sure. They were headed for their farm which is about 2 1/2 miles north of Morley on the Anamosa-Morley road.

Mrs. Bertelsen was born Mollie Bauer at Elvira, March 24, 1896. Place of his birth isn't known, but he would have been 58 next summer. They were married at Elvira March 2, 1921, and farmed in that area for several years.

After farming in Clinton county, the couple moved to Van Horne where he operated a clothing store, selling that out and moving to Jones county about 16 years ago.

Survivors include a foster son, Wayne, Anamosa; Lawrence Bertelsen; Knoxville, brother of the dead man; Leroy Bauer, Elvira, brother of Mrs. Bauer; a niece and two nephews.

Couple's wills have been filed for probate in Jones county district court. Prime beneficiary is the Lutheran children's home, Muscatine with L. A. Stumme, superintendent of the home, named special administrator.

Other beneficiaries include the son and a niece, Mrs. Florence Wilson, Newton.