Carroll LeRoy Larson (1939-1961)

LARSON, TRIMBLE, CHRISTOPHERSON, DOLPH

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/4/2023 at 20:59:01

From The Slater News March 9, 1961 (page 1)

Loses Life in Auto Accident Monday

Carroll Larson, 21, of Slater was one of four young people who lost their lives in an auto accident Monday when the car in which they were riding with two companions smashed through the railing of a wooden overpass, landed upside down on the Milwaukee railroad tracks below and was struck by a freight train at 2:34 p. m.

The accident site is 2 1/2 mile east of Maxwell on blacktop Highway 210.

The car dropped a distance of about 25 or 30 feet from the overpass to the railroad tracks and it is not known how long it was there before it was struck by the train. It was reported that the car was dragged about 800 feet down the tracks before the engineer was able to bring the train to a stop.

Patricia Miller and Mary Madsen of Ames, both 14, and James George, 17, of Cambridge also were killed in the accident. Diane Massey, 14, of Ames and Darrell Rench, 17, of Cambridge, a cousin of Carroll Larson were seriously of critically injured. It is reported that the three girls were sitting in the front seat of the car and the three boys in the back.

Funeral Services

Funeral services for Carroll Larson were held this morning (Thursday) at 10:30 in the First Methodist Church at Slater.

The Rev. Paul E. Harris was in charge. He took his text from Matt. 28:16-20, "Lo, I am with you always."

Lester Moore of Sheldahl was the soloist, singing two selections, "Sometime We'll Understand" and "Nearer, Still Nearer." He was accompanied by Mrs. Leonard Hines. organist.

Laura Lyons and Hazel Lyons were in charge of the flowers.

Pallbearers were Jerald Sargent, Gerald Sydnes, Norman Lyons, Merlin Lyons, Selmer Torresdahl and Jack Zimmer.

Burial was in the Slater Municipal Cemetery, south of town.

Obituary

Carroll LeRoy Larson, son of Mrs. Lenore Trimble and Melvin Larson, was born Apr. 11, 1939 at Huxley, Ia. Later the family moved to Slater where he resided until his untimely death on May 6, 1961.

Carroll attended the Slater Schools. He had been employed at the Slater Creamery, the Iowa State Highway Commission and the HyVee Grocery in Ames.

He is survived by his parents; three sisters, Mary Jane (Mrs. Wendell Christopherson of Cambridge), and Jeane and Patti of Slater; four brothers, Duaine, Larry, Phillip and Steven all of Slater; his grandparents Mrs. Pearl Dolph of Bell, Calif., Vern Dolph of Sheldahl and Mrs. Sophie Larson of Story City; a great-grandmother, nieces and two nephews and other relatives and friends.

Carroll coached the Slater Little League baseball team last season and deserves much credit for the splendid record made by the team, climaxed by winning the Story County Little League championship.

He attended church at Cambridge and Shipley.