Richard (1931-1966), Marjorie (1937-1966),Tamara&Denese Wood

WOOD, SKINNER, WHICHER, VERT, LOUGH, BABBITT

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 12/23/2013 at 12:29:57

From front page of Ames Daily Tribune July 28, 1966

Four die in crash here

Cambridge couple, daughters killed in 'unbelievable' accident

If member of the Richard G. Wood family ever saw what hit their car, it was only an instant's recognition.

The gray two-door sedan in which they were riding on U.S. 30 at the southeast edge of Ames last night was smashed by tha semi-trailer truck in an accident described by law enforcement as "almost unbelievable."

Four die instantly

Four members of the family died instantly in the crash. One daughter and the truck driver survive.

The dead are Richard Gordon Wood, 35; his wife, Marjorie, 29; a daughter, Tamara Sue, 8 and another daughter, Denese Renee, 3.

A third daughter, Kelly Colleen Wood, 6, was in "satisfactory' condition at Mary Greeley Hospital here.

Driver of the truck, John Harmon Wardale, 52, Linwood, Calif., also was "satisfactory" as the hospital.

Law enforcement officers at the scene reconstructed the accident this way:

The Kenilworth tandem tractor driven by Wardale was pulling a Fruehauf tandem refrigerator trailer. Northbound ofn Interstate 35, Wardale approached the end of I-35 where it crosses U.S. 30.

Onto I-35 Median

The huge truck struck an arrow sign directing traffic to the right-hand lane, smashing the sign and scattering sand from the sandbags which weight it down. It then roared down the grassy median between the northbound and southbound lanes.

As it reached a potition parallel with the south end of the twin I-35 bridges over U.S. 30, the truck was lofted into the air by a shallow embankment. Tractor and trailer sailed over the slope and guard rail bordering U.S. 30 and struck at the center of the northern east-bound lane.

As it happened, the Wood car was passing at just that instant.

The tractor went off into the median dividing the eastbound and westbound lanes of U.S. 30. The trailer smashed the front of the Wood car and carried it also into the median, under the I-35 bridges over U.S. 30.

The time was 9:11 p.m.

Officials at the scene said Wardale was able to climb from the cab of the truck. All members of the Wood family were removed from the the car except Mrs. Wood, who was pinned in the wreckage and could not be extricated until the car was pulled from under the trailer.

Fire Hazards

Firemen were called to the scene because of the diesel fuel and gasoline which bathed the highway. They remained from 9:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. because of the presence in the refrigerator trailer of a tank of liquefied petroleum gas, fuel for the refrigerator unit. Rescue workers first tried "bleeding" the gas from the tank, but abandoned this as too dangerous.

Finally the tank was removed and taken by Ivan Tuttle to an open area and the gas exhausted.

The rescue and cleanup operations attracted a large crowd of sightseers, despite the efforts of Iowa Highway Patrolmen to get them to leave.

The members of the Wood family had moved only this month to a house in Cambridge after living in rural Cambridge for the past year.

Funeral Services

Funeral services for the four members of the family will be held Friday at 1:30 p.m. for Nazareth Lutheran Church of Cambridge. The Rev. Henry G. Flessner, pastor of the church, will officiate. Burial is to be in Nevada Cemetery.

Richard Wood is survived by his mother, Mrs. Lucille M. Skinner of Des Moines and a sister, Mrs. Lou Ann Whicher, Boone. Mrs. Wood is survived by her father, Orville J. Vert, Boone and two sisters, Mrs. Fred Lough and Mrs. Wayne Babbitt, both of Des Moines*.

The Ryan Funeral Home, Nevada, is in charge of arrangements. A memorial fund has been established at the funeral home.

*SUBMITTER'S NOTE: Betty (Mrs. Wayne) Babbitt lived in Nevada, Iowa.