Daisy May (Young) Hern (1940)

DAVIS, HERN, YOUNG

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 6/24/2007 at 07:57:52

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, February 14, 1940

TRAGEDY VISITS WINTERSET HOME

Mrs. Daisy Hern Killed by Accidental Shot From Gun in Son's Hands

A tragedy that aroused the sympathy of the entire community occurred in Winterset Saturday afternoon when Mrs. Daisy Hern was instantly killed by the accidental discharge of a rifle in the hands of her 16-year-old son, Jack Hern.

Mrs. Hern, a life-long resident of Winterset, was seated in the living room of her home on West Hutchings street when the fatal accident occurred. The boy and mother were alone in the house at the time. He said she was writing out a list of groceries for him to take to the store. He was seated on a davenport across the room, attempting to repair a bolt action .22 caliber rifle which was not ejecting the cartridges properly. As he worked the bolt action of the gun it suddenly discharged. The slug struck Mrs. Young in the breast and pierced her heart. She died instantly.

After the boy began to realize the full import of the tragedy he was near hysteria, and a physician was forced to administer sedatives to quiet him.

Sheriff A. E. Null and Coroner A. A. Richards were summoned to the scene, but no inquest was held, as they reported the tragedy clearly accidental.

Mrs. Hern was the wife of William Hern, formerly of Winterset, who left here about a year ago and whose present whereabouts are not known.

She was the former Daisy May Young, daughter of Joseph and Anna Young, and was born in Winterset on Feb. 13, 1904. Had she lived three more days, she would have been 36 years of age.

On July 22, 1919, she was married to William Hern. They were the parents of five children, all of whom survive their mother. They are Velma, aged 20; Ralph, 19; Jack, 16; Betty, 13; and Charles, 11. She also leaves her parents; a sister, Mrs. Lyle Davis of Winterset; and a step-son, William Hern, Jr.

Funeral services were held Monday from the Ramsey-Richards funeral home here, in charge of the Rev. Tom Foglesong, pastor of the Church of Christ. Burial was made in the Winterset cemetery.

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