DARNER, Charles

DARNER, DUMKE, JONES, AIKEN, REYNOLDS

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler, Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/9/2013 at 09:58:03

Former Conrad Man Takes Own Life With Carbon Monoxide Gas

Charles Darner, 48, of Marshalltown, salesman for the Hanna and Young Handle Co. of Popular Bluffs, Mo., ended his life late Wednesday night or early last Thursday morning by inhaling monoxide gas. His body was found in an automobile on a graveled road a half mile south of Highway 30, about five miles east of Marshalltown. Fred Lawler, who lives in that neighborhood, discovered it about 7:30 a.m. Thursday.

The poisonous gas which caused Darner’s death was carried into the closed car by a piece of garden hose connected with the exhaust pipe.

Lawler and Andy Paul, another resident of that neighborhood, passed the car on their way home shortly before midnight Wednesday. It was parked by the road with the headlights on and the motor running but they thought the driver had pulled up to turn around. At 1 o’clock Thursday morning, Lawler’s son also saw the car by the road but did not investigate, thinking the driver was intending to go back to Highway 30.

When Lawler passed the car again Thursday morning with the motor running and the headlights on he stopped to investigate.

There was nothing on the Darner’s person or in the car to indicate the reason for his act.

Funeral services were held at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon at the Estel funeral home with Rev. J. I. LaFayre of the State Street Evangelical church in charge. Interment was in Riverside.

Mr. Darner was born at Nevada April 13, 1891. He married Miss Hulda Dumke in Minneapolis, Minn., May 3, 1914. Besides his widow he is survived by five children, Lloyd Darner of Marshalltown, Mrs. Newell Jones of Ames, Mrs. Claude Aiken of Eldora and Robert and Shirley of Marshalltown; also one grandchild, Claudia Joan Aiken of Eldora; three brothers, Ralph of Ames, Frank of Minneapolis and Glenn of Washington, Ore., and a sister, Mrs. Mary Reynolds of Santa Paula, Calif.

Before moving to Marshalltown the family lived in Conrad for several years.

Source: Unknown newspaper clipping found in scrapbook belonging to my great grandmother.