Heeren, Kenneth 1912 - 1932

HEEREN

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/27/2012 at 11:06:45

BULLET WOUND PROVES FATAL

Kenneth Heeren Lingers Two Days After Shooting Himself in the Head

DESPONDENCY IS CAUSE

State Youth Brooded Over Loss of Friend

Kenneth Heeren, aged 20 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Heeren, of Struble, died at the Sacred Heart hospital Monday a few minutes before noon from a self inflicted wound.

Young Heeren shot himself in the head about 2 o'clock Saturday morning at the Ora Lenth apartment in Struble. The bullet lodged in his brain and physicians who were called to attend him pronounced his case hopeless and death only a matter of a few days,

A member of the family stated to a Sentinel reporter that Heeren had been brooding over the death of his friend, Carl McCammond.

McCammond shot himself two weeks ago, after seriously wounding Ethel Head, a girl companion, on returning from a dance. It is related that the night of that tragedy. McCammond wanted Heeren to go to the dance with him. Heeren did not go and subsequently stated he wished he had gone as he thought he might have averted the shooting and had made references to the tragedy continually since then.

In Le Mars That Evening

Kenneth Heeren was In Le Mars with three other youths from Struble Friday night, Richard Osborn, Chester Long and Harry Weis. The youths went home at a late hour. Kenneth Heeren is reported to have said to one of the youths at parting how would you like to be a pallbearer at my funeral?” To which the youth replied “forget it” and advised him to “snap out of it.”

According to reports Heeren, accompanied by Weis, went to stay the night in a room in the Lenth place. While Weis was out of the room Heeren got a revolver and shot himself through the head and was found. lying unconscious on the bed when his companion returned to the room.

Youngest of Large Family

Kenneth Heeren was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs, Henry Heeren and was born in Le Mars April 16, 1912, where he attended school and later moved to Struble with his parents. He is survived by his parents and by four brothers and four sisters who are Lois Heeren, of Hawarden; Otto, of Spokane, Wash. ; Henry , of Pittsburg Mass.; Walter, in the navy, stationed at San Pedro, Calif.; Mrs. Olga Bauerly, Le Mars; Mrs. Cora Neal, Omaha, Neb.; Mrs. Lillian Miller, Wayne, Neb., and Mrs. Esther Rockwell, Grand Island, Neb.

The sisters were with their brother when the end came.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed pending word from the brothers.

Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
Tuesday, November 1, 1932 pg.1
Le Mars, Iowa

LAST RITES FOR STRUBLE YOUTH

FUNERAL SERVICES FOR KENNETH HEEREN ATTENDED BY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE

Last rites were held Thursday afternoon for Kenneth Heeren, aged 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Heeren, of Struble. The youth died Monday from a bullet wound in his brain after shooting himself with suicidal intent thought the head in an apartment at Struble early Saturday morning.

The services were conducted by the pastor. Rev. T. P. Potter, in the First Baptist church and were largely attended. The interment was made in the city cemetery. The pallbearers were comrades and associates; Walter Trafton, Richard Osborne, Glenn Trafton, Geo. Flynn, Chester Long, Roy Long and Harry Wels.

His brothers, Louis Heeren, of Hawarden, and Otto Heeren, of Spokane, came to attend the funeral.

Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
Friday, November 4, 1932
Le Mars, Iowa