Atallah, Jamal 1930-1959
ATALLAH
Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 9/4/2009 at 20:20:00
JAMAL ATALLAH KILLED
Canton, S.D: An international exchange student from Gifna Jordan, Jamal Hanna Atallah, 28, and a former Westmar College student and a student printer at The Globe-Post, was killed instantly Thursday in a one-car accident on highway 77, seven miles west and five miles north of here.
Highway Patrolman Duane Larson of Vermillion, South Dakota, said Thursday night Atallah was driving a panel truck and evidently lost control of the vehicle which rolled over into the ditch. The body was thrown from the vehicle and his skull was badly crushed.
Authorities said Atallah was a 1959 graduate of Westmar College, LeMars, and had planned to study law at the State University of Iowa this fall. He had been employed this summer by the General Outdoor Advertising Co., of Sioux City.
E. L. Hammerstrom, Lincoln County Sheriff, assisted Patrolman Larson in the investigation.
The body was taken to the Anderson Funeral Home at Canton.
The funeral home told the Globe-Post that the time for funeral arrangements would be made later. Disposal of the body will present a delicate problem in international etiquette. Jamal’s family are Moslems, who do not hold with cremation but Jamal himself was a Christian in which case cremation would be permissible. Cremation would be simpler and cheaper but what will be done depends on what his family says.
When Jamal was employed by the Globe-Post he carried a life insurance policy which would have paid $4000 but he dropped his group insurance when he left his employment here. The policy named as next of kin, Salim Atallah, brother. (Selim)
Friends of the victim say that Jamal was a veteran car drive but didn’t seem to know enough about it. He frequently had his car banged up but went ahead driving it. It is believed his fatal accident was due to the persistence of his happy-go-lucky driving style.
His last place of residence in LeMars was at the Bessie Oglivie residence.
Mr. Jamal Hanna Atallah was a native of Jordan, having been born in Jifna in July of 1930. He was admitted to the United States in the New York port of entry on January 21, 1955, and immediately began work at Westmar College. He completed his bachelor of arts degree at Westmar in June of 1959, with a major in social science. He had been admitted to the school of law of the State University of Iowa.
Funeral services will be held in Calvary Evangelical United Brethren Church at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14. President H. H. Kalas and Dr. A.V. Howland will have charge of the service. Professor Larry J. Day will sing. Pallbearers will be Professor Eldon W. Danne, Dr. Edwin C. Danner, Professor Hayes S. McGraw, Professor Richard Skinner, Floyd R. Sartwell and Arnold Ubben.
Services are under the direction of the Mauer Funeral Home and interment will be in the LeMars cemetery.
A cable was received from Mr. Atallah’s parents in Jordan by the Sheriff in the South Dakota county were Jamal was killed, agreeing to the above arrangements.
A friend and countryman of the deceased, Rolph Kalich, now of Chicago, also an exhange student who attended Westmar College, was notified of the death.
Mr. Atallah worked as a printer at the Globe-Post office during the four years he attended college here.
He is also survived by 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
~Source: The LeMars Globe-Post, July 13, 1959
~Note from family member, George Atallah: "The information about his family is incorrect. He had 4 brothers and 3 sisters. He used to drive when he was in Kuwait working for the KOC before he came to the US, and he was supposed to be brilliant and perfectionist in everything he did. I understand accidents happen, but the family is Orthodox Christian and we don't believe in Cremation."
~Note: This photograph of Jamal Atallah was published in the newspaper with this obituary.
Plymouth Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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