Rosemary (Cran) FOTH

FOTH, ELSBECKER, MEIGHAN, THUL, CRAHAN, BERNHARD, WOLF, CRAN, ZEMAN, SAATHOFF

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/29/2016 at 17:50:31

December 28, 1922 --- December 12, 1970

An ex-Livermore and LuVerne area couple, Gordon, 49 and Rosemary Foth, 47, died about two days apart from a fire that gutted their farm home three miles from Thornton, Iowa. Mrs. Foth was found dead in the house by her husband early Saturday after he and the three daughters jumped from a second story window. Cause of the fire is not known but it is thought that faulty wiring, possibly in the furnace, started the blaze. Mrs. Foth awakened about 4:30 a.m. Saturday, apparently smelling smoke and went downstairs to investigate. Mr. Foth and daughters Becky 17, Linda 15 and Sandra 9, awoke soon after and apparently realizing the danger broke an upstairs window and jumped. Mr. Foth returned to the house to find his wife in the kitchen near an open door leading to the basement where she apparently suffocated from the smoke and flames. He sustained severe burns but was able to carry her outdoors, where she was pronounced dead when the ambulance arrived. After jumping from the window, the daughters drove to town to summon aid.

Mr. Foth was rushed to Mercy hospital at Mason City, a distance of about 20 miles from their home, and he died about 4 p.m. Monday. An autopsy was performed on Mr. Foth after his death and it was due to "smoke inhalation and fumes from the fire" according to Dr. F. C. Brush.

Daughters Linda and Becky were treated at Mercy hospital at Mason City and were still patients there the first of the week. Sandra was released Monday and is staying at the home of her brother and wife at Corwith. Joint funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Sievers Funeral Home at Humboldt. Rev. S.H. Hammer officiated and burial was in the Union Cemetery at Livermore.

December 17, 1970
Algona Upper Des Moines - Algona, Iowa

Rosemary Cran was born Dec. 29, 1922 at LuVerne, daughter of Charles and Rose Cran. She was educated at Livermore and was married to Gordon Foth in the little Brown church at Nashua in 1947. The couple farmed in Humboldt county until moving to Kanawha area five years ago. They moved to the farm near Thornton last spring. Besides the three daughters, also surviving are two sons, Donald of Kanawha, and Dennis, who arrived home on emergency leave Monday from Vietnam. Also surviving is her mother Mrs. Rose Cran of Humboldt, two brothers Charles "Andy" Cran of Humboldt and Richard Cran of Livermore; and two sisters, Mrs. Dean Zeman of Livermore and Mrs. Duane Saathoff, Humboldt.

Gordon Foth was born at Bancroft, son of Molly Elsbecker Foth and the late George Foth. She survives as well as three sisters, Mrs. Marjorie Meighan, Florida; Betty, Mrs. Richard Thul, Bode; and Mae, Mrs. Thomas Crahan, Humboldt. There are also two brothers, Richard Foth of Bode and Allen of Livermore. The father died six years ago. He is the nephew of Albert and Leo Elsbecker, Mrs. Maurice Bernhard, and Mrs. Ray Wolf, all of Bancroft. He attended St. John's school at Bancroft and the family moved to Livermore during his school years.