Stranded By A Snow Storm, Redding, Dec. 1961

ABARR, NORRIS, PENNY, SIMMONS, SHIPLEY, WILLIAMS, WENTLAND, IRVING, STEGMAN, ERICKSON, KEERAN, RUCKMAN, SHAY, KELLEY, CRAIG, BROBST, SEARBERRY, OVERHOLSER

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 9/4/2009 at 05:20:33

The Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
December 22, 1961

26 Spent Friday Night at
Redding, Ia., School House

Twenty-six persons, all but two of whom were marooned by Friday's snow storm, spent Friday night in the Redding, Ia. school building. Many of them had trucks or cars in ditches or in snow drifts.

Staying with the snowbound travelers were Barton ABARR, Redding service station operator, and Neil NORRIS, custodian of the building.

Thos spending the night at the school were Mr. and Mrs. L. H. PENNY and children, Norman, Bob, and Marilyn, of Ames, Ia.; Miss Sadie SIMMONS of Peoria, Ill; Mr. and Mrs. Kelton SHIPLEY of Grant City, Mo; Mrs. Thelma WILLIAMS and 3-year-old daughter Sharon Kay, of Joplin, Mo; Mike WENTLAND of Victor, Ia; Richard H. IRVING of St. Joseph, Mo; Mr. and Mrs. Jay GOFF of Grant City, Mo; Burt STEGMAN, Albany, Mo; Paul H. ERICKSON, Gladbrook, Ia; Ed KEERAN, Des Moines, Ia; Paul E. RUCKMAN, Mount Ayr, Ia; Thomas E. SHAY, Leon, Ia; Virgil CRAIG, Liberty, Mo; Darrell KELLEY, Missouri City, Mo; Walter Lee BROBST, Lorimor, Ia; Olen R. SEARBERRY, Lorimor, Ia; and Dean OVERHOLSER, Diagonal, Ia.

The group was sheltered by Barton ABARR at the NORRIS and ABARR service station several hours and then he took them to the Redding school house. Neil NORRIS, the school custodian, returned to the school building and kept the building comfortable. He entertained by showing a film, "The Littlest Outlaw," which had been rented for school use, and by bringing out cards and games to amuse the children and younger people. He made the gymnasium available for basketball.

The lunchroom was opened and the women prepared food and coffee. Mr. NORRIS made beds on the floor with mats and rugs available. Almost everyone was able to get at least a little rest and sleep.

The Pespi-Cola truck driver and Butternut Bread delivery man furnished food and drink and the Redding grocery provided meat and other necessary items.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, 2008