Linsford Kent SANDVEN

SANDVEN, WEBBINK

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/28/2016 at 15:36:51

August 19, 1958 ---- April 20, 1985

Lin K. Sandven, 26, of Fort Dodge, was struck by a car and killed while riding his multi-speed bicycle southeast of Eagle Grove Saturday afternoon. Sandven, son of Kenny and Gwen Sandven of Eagle Grove, had spent Saturday morning working on the city's annual spring cleanup. That afternoon at approximately 2:23 p.m. while riding his bicycle southbound along county road R-27 three miles southeast of Eagle Grove, a car driven by Barbara Lee Wilks of Eagle Grove reportedly struck Sandven's bicycle.

Sandven was taken by the Eagle Grove ambulance to Trinity Regional Hospital in Fort Dodge, and from there transported to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines by Life Flight. He died of head injuries at 6:31 p.m. Saturday, April 20.

The accident is still under investigation by Doug Dean of the Wright County Sheriff's Department, who is being assisted by Vance Nelson of the Eagle Grove Police Department and Pam Brockman of the Iowa State Patrol.

According to the sheriff's report, the 1975 Honda driven by Wilks, 34, was following another vehicle which blocked her view of Sandven on his bicycle. Wilks told officers she had clothing in her car which was flying around from the wind, distracting her. When she looked again, it was too late to avoid hitting the bicycle.

Investigating officers said no charges had been filed as of late Monday afternoon, but charges are pending.

Services for Lin K. Sandven will be held at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday) at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Eagle Grove, with burial in Rose Hill Cemetery. He is survived by his parents, Kenny and Gwen, by two sisters, Kim of Eagle Grove, and Mrs. John (Michelle) Webbink of Rolfe, and a niece, Dacia Webbink of Rolfe.

Sandven was born in Fort Dodge and educated in Eagle Grove, graduating from Eagle Grove High School in 1976. He attended Waldorf Junior College in Forest City for one year before transferring to the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where he graduated in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and English.

Sandven was employed on the editorial staff of the Fort Dodge Messenger, with the eastern half of the Messenger's circulation area his primary responsibility. His first newspaper position was with the Garner Leader, where he worked from July 1981 until February 1983 when he joined the Messenger. He returned to Garner as news editor in October 1983 and was there for a year before rejoining the Messenger in October 1984.

Sandven had also gained some internship experience writing for The Eagle Grove Eagle in 1980, during his senior year in college.

EAGLE GROVE EAGLE -- Iowa
April 24, 1985

Source -- Paul Wilde