Custer, Gene C 1926-1975

CUSTER, LADDUSAW, ELLIS, JUNCK, WINSTEAD, RODGERS, MOELLER, SCHOFIELD HENNINGFIELD, RUBEL, EMBRY

Posted By: Janet Schuldt, Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/22/2011 at 11:02:18

Le Mars. Iowa. Daily Sentinel, Le Mars, Plymouth, Iowa, USA Monday, October 13. 1975 Page 4

Former Kingsley man killed in Minnesota

Gene C. Custer. 49, Sioux City, a former Kingsley resident, who was killed Thursday. Oct. 9, 1975, in a two-truck accident near Redwood Fails. Minn., was born April 11, 1926, in Oto. He moved with his family to Kingsley, and was graduated from high school there. He later was graduated from National Business Training school in Sioux City.

Services were at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Luke Lutheran church. Rev. Jan Bengston officiated and burial was in Logan Park cemetery under direction of the W. Harry Christy funeral home of Sioux City Monahan post 64. American Legion, presented the flag at the cemetery and the Moose lodge also conducted rites at the grave.

He served with the army in the Pacific theater during world war 2. He was wounded in action, and was sent to a military hospital in Denver where he remained for a year. He married Shirley M. Laddusaw June 21, 1946. at Kingsley. After their marriage, the couple moved to Sioux City and had lived there since. He was a member of the Moose lodge, Monahan post of the American Legion, and St. Luke Lutheran church where he was head usher.

Survivors are his wife; four sons, Gary and Dennis, both of Sioux City and Randy and Terry, both at home; four daughters. Mrs. Richard (Pat) Ellis and Mrs. Warren (Carol) Junck, both of Sioux City, Mrs. Bob (Linda) Winstead of Escondito, Calif., and Tina at home; two half-brothers. Howard Henningfield of California and Richard Henningfield of Wail Lake; five half-sisters, Mrs. John (Mae) Rubel of Grand Island. Neb., Mrs. Gay (Darlene) Embry of Atkins, Ark., Mrs. Gary (Sharin) Rodgers of Davenport, Iowa, Mrs. Jerry (Marline) Moeller of Moville. Iowa, and Mrs. Chet (Nancy) Schofield of Sioux City, and 10 grandchildren.

A memorial in Mr. Custer's name has been established at St. Lukes Lutheran church.

The former Kingsley man was killed Thursday morning when the windshield of his truck was smashed by the hook of a loading boom on another truck near Redwood Falls. Minn. The Minnesota state patrol said the trucks were headed in opposite directions on Minnesota 19 about three-fourths of a mile east of Redwood Falls when the accident occurred about 6:30 a.m. Mr. Custer was driving a tanker truck carrying argon gas. The loading boom was on a semitrailer flatbed. The state patrol said the hook of the loading boom crashed through the windshield of the tanker truck and also damaged the metal portion of the truck's cab. The tanker went off the road, across a service road and came to rest against a building, but did not overturn. Mr. Custer was pronounced dead at a hospital in Redwood Falls. The identity of the other driver, who was not hurt, was not made public immediately. Mr. Custer was a salesman and delivery man for Monroe Welding supply of Sioux City, and had been associated with the firm the last 24