Raymond Honz (1925-1943)

HONZ

Posted By: Debra Scott Hierlmeier (email)
Date: 11/26/2008 at 20:45:02

Raymond Honz 1925-1943
PHOTO AVAILABLE

Killed in Truck-Train Collision at Taylor Crossing Friday

Raymond F. Honz, 18, was instantly killed at 4:19 pm last Friday when the truck he was driving was struck by a rock Island mail and express train at the Taylor crossing, two and a half miles northwest of Avoca.

Honz, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Honz, living southwest of her on the Henry Franz farm, was hauling corn in a truck owned by Marvin Schlicht of Avoca. He had just delivered a load at the Doyle Milling Company and was returning to the Bruce Warner farm. The truck was hit on the right side of the cab by the fast mail train going east, throwing the truck high into the air and into a ditch demolishing it.

Donald J. Spreyer, of Council Bluffs, was the engineer of the train and stopped about a quarter of a mile beyond the crossing. The train backed up to the wreck and brought the body to the depot after the crew extricated it from the wrecked cab.

Raymond Frederick Honz was born September 26, 1925 at Dunlap, and lived with his parents there for seven years. Moving to Panama he attended St. Mary’s school there for five years before coming to the Avoca vicinity.

He graduated from a rural school in this vicinity and also was a graduate of the Avoca High School with the Class of 1943. His scholastic ability ranked him in the upper half of his class and he also won two letters in football. He was a good student and was well liked by both the student body and the faculty.

Raymond was active in the Pleasant Township 4-H boys club for four years. He had received his classification for the army and had enlisted in the army air corps expecting to be inducted at Fort Crook on January 4, 1944. During the time he went to school he helped his father with the farm work but more recently had been employed by Marvin Schlicht driving a truck.

He is survived by his parents, four brothers and three sisters; Rita (article cut off)

From the Scrapbooks of Bessie Gross Gustafsen
Source: possibly Council Bluffs Nonpareil