Baadte, Ron 1939-1966

BAADTE, HOWARD

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 6/24/2023 at 19:58:38

LeMars Daily Sentinel, Monday, April 18, 1966

Ron Baadte Dies in Car That Slammed Bridge.

Funeral services for Ronald Baadte, 27, of Worthington, Minn., formerly of LeMars, were at 9:30 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic church in LeMars.

Rev. Albert O. Grendier officiated. Burial was in Calvary cemetery under direction of the Wiltgen-Luedtke funeral home.

Mr. Baadte died while pinned in his car Friday night, after he crashed into a bridge on Hiway 75 about five miles north of Hinton.

He died just minutes before rescuers had cut the vehicle apart with cutting torches, about an hour after the accident occurred, according to Dennis Osterbuhr, Plymouth County deputy sheriff.

Investigating officers were Richard Pedersen, Clel Baudier and Richard Helmers of the Iowa Highway Patrol and Deputy Sheriff Dennis Osterbuhr. They were assisted by the LeMars fire department rescue squad.

Mr. Baadte was alone in the automobile, and was northbound on the higway when the vehicle struck the side of a bridge abutment.

According to Dr. Sherman Lindell, Plymouth County medical examiner, Mr. Baadte suffered a “massive skull fracture.” He was declared dead on arrival at Sacred Heart hospital. He was brought to the hospital by Luken’s ambulance.

Witnesses at the scene said a Sioux Center doctor gaave first aid during the time workers were trying to free Mr. Baadte from the wreckage.

Traffic was backed up as far as Hinton and for a long distance on either side of the scene, while efforts were made to extricate the driver and remove the car from the road.

Mr. Baadte, a former longtime LeMars resident, was a graduate of Gehlen high school. He had been employed by Allis-Chalmers in Sioux City before transferring to Worthington last fall.

He was born Feb. 7, 1939, in Aurora, Ill. He married Phyllis Howard Nov. 21, 1959, in Sioux City, and the couple had lived in Sioux City until moving to Worthington in September 1965.

Survivors are the widow; three daughters, Laurie, Lisa and Lynn; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Baadte of LeMars; one sister, Mrs. Cleo Laughton of LeMars; and one brother, Marcell of Kansas City, Mo.