Rock Island County IL Archives Obituaries.....Bopes, Steven Thomas (Miller) May 6, 1977
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Eric Bopes ancestry@mchsi.com March 24, 2007, 6:21 pm

The Rock Island Argus,  Saturday, May 7, 1977
Two area men killed as ‘cycle strikes city curb

No cause has yet been established for the motorcycle accident which last night 
claimed the lives of two area men.

Steven Maule, 23, of 1608 2nd St. E., Milan, and Steven Bopes, 24, of 908 33rd 
Ave., Rock Island, were both killed when the southbound motorcycle they were 
riding struck a curb on the west side of 11th St. near 49th Ave. in Rock 
Island about 300 feet from the Rock River bridge span.

Rock Island Coroner James Shaw said both men were dead at the scene just 
before midnight. They both suffered severe head injuries and multiple 
fractures and contusions, said Shaw.

Shaw said Maule, the owner of the motorcycle, was driving and Bopes was a 
passenger. He said after the motorcycle hit the curbing, the men were 
catapulated into the air and struck a fence that surrounds the Rock Island 
Ready Mix plant at 49th Ave and 11th St.

Neither man was wearing protective clothing, said Shaw

Rock Island Police said prior to the accident the men stopped at a Deep Rock 
gas station, and the attendant there said they were behaving in a loud manner.

Shaw and the police said blood test will be taken to determine if drinking was 
a contributing factor in the accident.

Police said they were unable to determine the approximate speed of the 
motorcycle at the time of the accident, but they believe excessive speed may 
have been a contributing factor.

Police also said they were notified of the accident by a motorist who happened 
upon the bodies. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident, they said.

Shaw noted that last year in Rock Island County there were 20 fatalities 
related to motorcycle accidents. The deaths of Maule and Bopes brings this 
year's county total to 14 and three in the city.

Funeral services for Mr. Bopes will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Pius X 
Roman Catholic Church, Rock Island, with the Rev. Edward J. Bader officiating. 
Homilist will be the Rev. John Eck, C.S.V.

Burial will be in Chippiannock Cemetry, Rock Island. A liturgical prayer 
service will be held at 8 p.m. Monday at Knox-Larson Funeral Home where 
friends may call after noon Monday

He was born Sept 9, 1952 in Rock Island, the son of Daniel F. and Georgia J. 
McCann Bopes. He attended St. Joseph and Alleman parochial Schools. He married 
Denise Cross Jan. 16, 1971 in Rock Island. He was an apprentice carpenter with 
John Lower Co. of Milan and a member of St. Pius Catholic Church

Surviving are his wife; a son, Eric S., and two daughters, Amber S. and 
Chantel M., all at home; his father, Daniel F. of East Moline, and mother, 
Georgia Lynch of Milan, two brothers, Scott G. and Jeff B., both of Milan, and 
his paternal grandfather, Fay N. Bopes of Edgington.

He was preceded in death by two brothers.

Services for Mr. Maule will be at 1:30 Monday afternoon at the Fippinger 
Funeral Home, Aledo, with the Rev. Don Griffith, pastor of the Messiah 
Lutheran Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Aledo Cemetery. Visitation 
is 7-9 tomorrow evening at the funeral home.

Mr. Maule was born June 2, 1953 in Davenport, a son of Dr. Duane and Patricia 
Fischer Maule. He attended Aledo schools and was graduated from Aledo High 
School.

He was employed at the Rock Island Arsenal as a tool machine operator.

He was a member of the Messiah Lutheran Church.

Surviving are his parents; two sisters, Mrs. Christine Rader of Joy and Miss 
Candace Maule at home; and two brothers, Kevin of Aledo and Mickey at home.

Additional Comments:
Steven Thomas was born Steven Thomas Miller to Thomas William Miller and 
Georgetta Jean McCann on September 9, 1952. On February 21 1956 Thomas William 
Miller died. On April 12 1958 Georgetta married Daniel Fay Bopes. Daniel 
adopted Steven and he became Steven Thomas Bopes.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/rockisland/obits/b/bopes23ob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ilfiles/

File size: 4.4 Kb