Hendricks, Maurine Mrs. Vern 1919- 1944

HENDRICKS, MCMANAMAN

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 2/24/2012 at 06:08:26

From the Hawarden Independent of Oct 12, 1944 p.1
Woman leaps to her death under a train. War bride of February dies in tragic manner.
Mrs. Vern Hendricks of Hawarden committed suicide by leaping in front of the Milwaukee Hiawatha as the train came into Hawarden from the south shortly before midnight last Friday night.

She was 24 years of age and the wife of Pvt. Vern Hendricks, formerly of Chatsworth, who was recently sent overseas. Charles Vander Ploeg, Sioux county coroner, pronounced the act a plain case of suicide. He reports that both the engineer and fireman on the train said they saw the young woman jump on the tracks ahead of the speeding ngine. The engineer, who was preparing to slow down for the scheduled stop at Hawarden, brought the Hiawatha to a halt as quickly as possible, but not until the long train had entirely passed over her body.

Mrs. Hendricks had apparently walked down the tracks to a point south of the water tower near the intersection of the Milwaukee and North Western roads, where she waited for the train. On the way, she had discarded her shoes, which were found near the tracks early the next -morning. Also, next morning, section men found near the tracks a letter written by the unfortunate woman. This vras turned over to the coroner, who gave it to the parents. They did not wish to make public the contents of their daughter's last message. On the strength of this letter, however, the coroner decided; that an inquest was •not necessary,

Mrs. Hendricks lived with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter McManaman, who said that she left their home in Hawarden Friday afternoon, evidently in the best of spirits, to report for Tvork at Tom's Cafe, where she was employed. Previously during the day she had packed some Christmas gifts to mail to her soldier husband overseas. She also had trimmed off one of his pictures in uniform and fitted it into her billfold. Her parents noticed no signs of despondency ,in fact, her father 'said that she was her usual smiling self. Between 10:30 and 11 o'clock, other employees in the cafe observed that she was writing a letter at the desk, evidently to her husband. She then left the place and ,eventually made her way to the railroad tracks. The train was about half an hour late that night.

Maurine Delores McManaman, daughter of Peter F. and Hannah McManaman, was born on December 16, 1919, at Hawarden, where she grew to womanhood. On February :24, 1944, she was married to Vern L. Hendricks at -Sioux City, Iowa. She is survived by her parents and her husband.The funeral was held Saturday afternoon, with Rev. Father Graf conducting the services, Interment at St. Mary's cemetery.

Those attending the funeral from •out of town included Mrs. J. L. McManaman and Mrs, Matt Agnes of Fort Dodge, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Ari Loe and daughter, Peggy Ann, and ;Mr. and Mrs. Nels Johnson of Hooker, S. D.; Mr. and Mrs. Clair Bouden of Beresford, S. D.; Mrs. Ellius John son of Hurley, S. D,; Mr. and Mrs. Vernan Kaarup of Irene, S. D