McMAHAN, Geraldine Grace, Rowena Mae, Ila Ruth, Caroline Kay

MCMAHON, HADLEY, MCGHGHY, MCVAY, HARTER, DAVIS, VERSTEEGH, LLOYD, DARLAND, ADKINS, KLINKER, GREGSON, WILSON, DEYOUNG, NELSON, STEPHENS, BRADEN, HERMAN, THOMAS, STUMP, CHENEY, QUILLAN, BURGGRAAF, SMITH, MOORE

Posted By: Judy Dankert Parsons (email)
Date: 4/21/2006 at 18:05:12

Oskaloosa Daily Herald, July 19, 1948. Sisters are Buried at Union Mills. (Special to Herald). Union Mills, July 19--Thousands of people were in Union Mills Sunday afternoon for the last rites of the four McMAHON girls, who drowned last Friday when the car in which they were riding plunged down an embankment and into a creek where a total of six girls lost their lives.

Services were held in the Union Mills church for Geraldine Grace, 16, Rowena Mae, 14, Ila Ruth, 12, and Caroline Kay McMAHON, 6, sisters and daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald McMAHON of New Sharon route 1. Rev. A. M. HADLEY and Rev. G.R. McGHGHY in charge. Interment was in the Union Mills Cemetery.

Church Yard Filled: Over 200 persons crowded into the little church on the hill and approximately 2,500 to 3,000 more filled the church yard as Rev. HADLEY read the obituary of the four sisters. HADLEY also offered the prayer and scriptures, which included the 14th chapter of the book of John and the 1st Corinthian, chapter 15, verses 51 to 58.

Rev. McGHGHY delivered the sermon in which he said that "God's hand has seen fit to pluck the four young sisters from our midst, but that they have parted from us for a short time because our time on this earth is brief in comparison with the time we shall spend with our friends who have gone home up above.

Thousands View Caskets: Following the service, for an hour and one-half, the thousands on hand filed past the four caskets which were located in a semi-circle in the rear of the church. The four caskets were loaded into four hearses simultaneously and two flower cars led the procession to the place of burial.

During the service, singing was furnished by Sherill HARTER, Joan McVAY, Lavone DAVIS and Anita VerSTEEGH. Selections included "Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us," and "When He Cometh."

Flower attendants for the four sisters were, Gladys LLOYD, Merle DARLAND, Velma ADKINS, Elsie KLINKER, Nancy GREGSON, and Madge WILSON.

Pallbearers for Victims: Pallbearers for Geraldine Grace were Stanley deYOUNG, Jimmie deYOUNG, Wilmont NELSON, Neal STEPHENS, Junion BRADEN, and Carl HERMAN.

Pallbearers for Rowena Mae were, Ernest THOMAS, Betty deYOUNG, Guy STUMP, Bonnie deYOUNG, Everett CHENEY, and Helen STUMP.

Pallbearers for Ila Ruth were, Charles QUILLAN, Verea THOMAS, Marvin BURGGRAAF, Catherine SMITH, Ed MOORE, and PEGGY SHIFFLETT.

Pallbearers for Caroline Kay were, Charles STEPHENS, Marlene BRADEN, Dorothy MOORE and Donna MOORE.