DOONAN, Armor Lewis 1917 – 1946

DOONAN, BAUSTIAN

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler, Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/24/2013 at 14:07:20

Suffers Skull Fracture When Passenger Train Strikes Truck

Injuries received in a truck-train collision brought death to Armor Lewis Doonan, 29, in the Deaconess hospital at Marshalltown early Friday morning.

“Lewie” suffered a basal skull fracture in the fatal accident which occurred Dec. 23 about 11 a.m. near LeGrand. He was driving his truck to the LeGrand quarry for a load of rock when the truck was struck by a Chicago North Western passenger train at a crossing near the town.

Wreckage of the truck was scattered along the right of way for about 1,000 feet and the cab, in which Doonan was pinned, was carried on the locomotive nearly half a mile before the train could be stopped. The injured man was rushed to the Marshalltown hospital, but he died without regaining consciousness.

Armor Lewis Doonan, son of John J. and Anna J. Doonan, was born Oct. 12, 1917, in Scott township near Deep River, Ia., and died early Friday morning, Dec. 27, 1946.

His school life began in the rural school north of Malcom. He entered the Brooklyn school in the eighth grade in the fall of 1931 and graduated from the Brooklyn High school with the Class of 1936. In athletics he was an Honor B man, participating in football and baseball.

He was in the CCC camp at Sigourney from 1936 to 1939. Following that he entered the barber college at Cedar Rapids July 5, 1939. After graduating in January 1940, he worked at Clinton, Ia., until the following September when he returned to work in Cedar Rapids and Brooklyn. He enlisted in the Naval Reserves, Dec. 29, 1941. After receiving boot training at Navy Pier, Chicago, he was assigned to the Battleship U.S.S. New Mexico, on which he served during the war. He left the States in August 1942 for the Southwest Pacific. After serving over three years he was given an honorable discharge in Minneapolis, Minn., Oct. 26, 1945.

Spending some time at home, he then worked in the Lowery barber shop and the Cash and Carry grocery store. In 1946 he purchased a truck and went into business with his brother, Sylvanus, in hauling lime and crushed rock. It was on one of these trips that he was fatally injured.

Surviving are his father and mother, one brother, Sylvanus, one sister, Marlene, two nephews, a niece, a grandmother, Mrs. P. J. Baustian of Deep River. He was preceded in death by one brother, Garlan, in August 1919.

Memorial services were conducted at 2 o’clock in the Brooklyn Presbyterian church with the Rev. M. A. Robeson in charge assisted by the Rev. E. W. F. Holler. Music was furnished by Miss Thursia Manatt at the organ.

Pallbearers were Jerry Newton, John Van Ersvelde, Paul Henry, Joe Billick, Jackie Newman and Harold Keeney, all veterans of naval service.

Interment was in the Deep River Cemetery, with grave services by the Francis Gallagher American Legion.

Source: Unknown newspaper clipping found in scrapbook belonging to my great grandmother, Edith (Kann) Newton.