Obituary of KELLY DAYTON WEBB, JR., LaSalle Parish, Louisiana

Copied and Submitted by: Doug McBroom, 15520 Swan Lake Blvd., Gulfport, MS 
39503

From The Jena Times - Olla Tullos Signal; Jena, LaSalle Parish, La.  
Microfilm at the LaSalle Parish Library located in Jena, LaSalle Parish, La.

Many Thanks to The Times - Signal and to the LaSalle Parish Library for 
allowing the following to be added to the Archives.





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Date:  January 31, 1946, Thursday

Headline:  Kelly Dayton Webb Jr. Fatally Burned When Fire Destroys Home

Friends and relatives shocked and distressed, extended their deepest 
sympathies to the grief-stricken family of Mr. and Mrs. K. D. Webb last 
weekend when their son, Kelly Dayton Webb, Jr., age 16, as burned fatally in 
a fire which completely destroyed the house in which the Webbs lived in 
Midway.

The tragedy happened about 7:00 a.m., Friday, Jan. 25.  Young Dayton was 
rushed to the Baptist Hospital at Alexandria after receiving preliminary 
treatment at the office of Dr. Trax at Trout.

Kelly died at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 26.  Doctors stated he suffered 
severe burns over 85 percent of the body.  Forty-five percent burns usually 
are fatal.

According to the story Kelly told members of the family as he was being 
carried to the hospital, he poured kerosene into the wood heater in the 
living room to rekindle fire which had died out.  Evidently live coals in the 
heater caused a gas to form which exploded, enveloping him in flames and 
setting fire to his pajamas.  Mr. Webb, who was still in bed at the time, 
leaped up and caught the boy as he ran into the bedroom in a pillar of flame. 
 With the aid of Mrs. Webb, he managed to smother the flaming pajamas by 
wrapping the struggling boy in blankets.  Mr. and Mrs. Webb received painful, 
by not serious, burns.

There were not other witnesses to the accident.  Mr. Webb and an 
eight-year-old son were in an adjoining bedroom and Mrs. Webb was in the 
kitchen at the moment.

It is believed that the force of the explosion caused oil to spill over Webb 
and on the floor.  It was stated the oil can exploded shortly after the 
accident causing the fire to envelop the entire house in a matter of moments.

Preoccupied with saving their son, the family lost every possession, escaping 
with only the clothes they had on at the time.

Funeral services were held for the victim of the tragedy at 2:00 p.m., 
Sunday, Jan. 27, 1946, at the First Baptist Church of Jena.

Rev. A. L. Russell, pastor, conducted funeral services.  Interment was in the 
Oak Grove Cemetery.

Survivors of the deceased are his parents; one sister, Eva Lea; and one 
brother, Jerry Glen.

Six schoolmates of the tenth grade of the Jena High School, who served as 
pallbearers were:  J. C. Chapman, Jack Griffin, Andrew Butler, Marvin 
Methvin, Harold Peterson, and Ray Oglesby.

Hixson Bros. was in charge of funeral arrangements.