Glenn William SHOMLER

SHOMLER, SLAIKEU

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/9/2015 at 17:30:18

27 July 1890 --- 28 November 1935

Father, Child Killed in Crash

Boscobel Family's Car Skids Into Train; Four Others Die in State

Eagle Grove, Iowa - Glen W. Shomler, 45, of Boscobel, Wis., and his son, Ronald, 12, were killed here Thursday when their automobile skidded on icy pavement and crashed into a moving freight train. Mrs. Shomler and three other sons also were injured, but not seriously. The Shomlers were driving to Rockwell City, Iowa, to visit relatives on Thanksgiving.

The Milwaukee Journal - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
November 29, 1935

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Glenn Shomler, 45, and his son, Ronald Shomler, 12, met death when their car collided with a Great Western freight on the South Commercial crossing about 11:30 Thanksgiving Day. Four other occupants of the car were cut and bruised, but their hurts are not considered serious. In the ill-fated car were Mr. and Mrs. Shomler and their four children, Russell 18, who was driving, Mervin, 16, Ronald, 12, and Robert, 4 months old. Mr. Shomler was riding in the front seat and Ronald was sitting beside his mother and the other two boys on the back seat. The Shomler family were enroute to Rockwell City to spend Thanksgiving at the home of Mr. Shomler's brother, C. I. Shomler, a traveling man who makes this territory. They planned this visit as a surprise on their Rockwell City relatives. They were going south on Commercial avenue and were almost to the crossing when the father warned his son that a train was coming from the west. Russell Shomler, the driver, first thought his only chance was to cross ahead of the train, but seeing this was impossible, attempted to turn to the left and go down the right of way alongside the train. But the ice on the pavement made stopping or a complete turn impossible, and the right front fender struck the engine just back of the pilot and the car swerved against the engine and was thrown onto the steel warning signal tower on the north side of the track, smashing it to the ground and pulling it out of its cement foundation. Russell was struck on the forehead, but was able to get up and around Thursday afternoon. He is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Mervin is a high school junior. Mr. Shomler was in the clothing business at Boscobel. The car, a new Studebaker sedan, was badly wrecked. It was hauled to the Ford garage, where it was viewed by hundreds of people Thursday and Friday.

Bodies Sent Home
The bodies of Mr. Shomler and Ronald were sent to Boscobel on the afternoon Great Western passenger today. The Forrest Slaikeu residence on the west side of the street obstructs the view of car drivers from the north and the curve in the track also made it impossible for the engineer to see the crossing until he was almost upon it. The freight which was a long double-header, stopped within about six car lengths from the point of collision.

Eagle Grove Eagle – Eagle Grove, Iowa
December 5, 1935