DeBeer, Peter 1929-1950

DEBEER, DEVRIES

Posted By: Janet Brown - volunteer (email)
Date: 7/23/2013 at 14:52:13

From the Alton Democrat, November 9, 1950:

TRAGIC CRASH TAKES LIFE OF CARNES YOUTH

Peter De Beer Killed When Car Strikes Highway Bridge

A tragic motor accident on Highway 33 south of Carnes took the life of Peter De Beer, 21, soon after midnight Friday. The young man was less than a mile from his home south of Carnes when the car he was driving struck the side of a bridge half a mile south of Carnes. The car, going north, hit the left rail of the bridge and the left side of the car was sheared off. The car swung around across the highway and remained upright when it stopped. But the driver was bleeding and unconscious when found by a passing motorist, a stranger in Iowa, who turned back to LeMars, called Sheriff Schooler who in turn called an ambulance.

Sheriff Harry Dykstra of Orange City was called about 1:30 and told of a "bad accident" south of Alton. He and Deputy Hoogland drove clear to the Plymouth County line without finding a trace of the wreckage. After considerable driving about they finally learned that the accident was at the bridge south of Carnes but found only the debris, a LeMars wrecker having picked up the car. Casey De Munck also was summoned out of bed on a similar "wild goose chase" to retrieve the wrecked car. The left front wheel was torn off and imbedded in the left door of the car -- a strange quirk of the crash.

The young man died at the Le Mars hospital five hours after the accident from brain concussion. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John De Beer living south of Carnes and was born Jan. 26, 1929. He graduated in 1948 from Northwestern Junior College and after graduation assisted his father on the farm. At the time of the accident he was returning home from Sioux City where he spent the evening with his fiancee, Miss Beth Muilenburg.

Surviving are his parents, and seven brothers and sisters: Fred, Orange City; Darlene, Minerva, Marilyn. Ruthie, Johnny and Laura Ann at home, and his fiancée, Miss Muilenburg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Muilenburg of Middleburg, a student nurse in the Methodist hospital, Sioux City. All have the heartfelt sympathy of the community.

Friends believe the young man dozed while traveling at a high rate of speed. This is the seventh highway fatality in the county for this year. Four were at bridges.