Romick, Velma Lucille Tatum – 1911-1943

HUGHES, ROMICK, TATUM

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:37

Mrs. Chester Romick, 2 Children Burned To Death In Fairfield Cabin Camp Fire
Prairie City (Special to The Daily News) – Funeral services for Mrs. Chester Romick and children, Verna, 3, and Ava, 9, who were fatally burned when an oil stove ignited Saturday at the Fairfield cabin camp near Fairfield, were to be held Tuesday, Oct. 19 at the Church of the Brethren, 5 miles south of Prairie City.
The Rev. L. G. Closton, pastor of the Prairie City Christian church, will officiate at the services, assisted by the Rev. B. F. Buckingham, pastor of the Church of the Brethren.
The two children were burned to death at the time of the explosion and the mother was critically burned. She was taken to the Jefferson County hospital where she died on Sunday. Mr. Romick who is employed as a truck driver by the Bruce Transfer Co. was not at home at the time.
They are survived by Chester Romick, husband and father; Alvin Romick, son and brother; and Charles Romick, grandfather of the children and father-in-law of Mrs. Romick, who lives in this community, and a number of other relatives.
Burial will be at the Griffith (should be Griffis) cemetery, south of the church.
Source: Newton Daily News; Monday, October 17, 1943, page 1

Two Girls Die In Fairfield Fire
Blame Cabin Stove Used For Canning
(The Register's Iowa News Service.
Two children were burned to death and two women and another child were injured seriously when an oil stove which was not operating properly was ignited here Saturday afternoon.
The tragedy occurred at 2:30 p.m. in a small 3 room cabin occupied by the Chester Romick family in the Fairfield Cabin Camp at the west edge of the city on highway 34.
The dead: Verna Romick, 3; Ava Romick, 9.
The injured: Mrs. Chester Romick critically burned about the arms, face, legs and back.
Alvin Romick, 11, seriously burned on the arms and face.
Mrs. H.R. Bamesburger, a neighbor, seriously burned about the arms, back and legs.
Taken To Hospital
All of the injured were taken to the Jefferson County Hospital.
The oil stove on which the two women were canning vegetables was out of order. They had called the operator of the cabin camp, Mrs. Jack Roberts to fix it.
Mrs. Roberts worked with it for some time and believed she had it in good repair. She lit the stove, and instantly the room was enveloped in flames. She jumped out a window and escaped injury.
Only One Door
The others sought to escape out the front door-the only exit in the cabin.
The bodies of the two girls, Verna and Ava, were found about 10 feet outside the front door, where they died.
The father, who is employed as a truck driver by the Bruce Transfer Co., was not at home at the time.
Mrs. Bamesburger was helping Mrs. Romick in canning.
Velma Romick died in the hospital the next day
The oldest child Charles Earl Romick, 13, was at Movie Theater at the time of fire and did not know anything about it until he was riding his bike home from the movie and saw the fire trucks there.
Source: Des Moines Sunday Register, Oct.17,1943
Velma Lucille Tatum Romick was born to Joseph Earl Tatum and Lena Leota Hughes Tatum.