Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Barkdull, Thomas F. 1946
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net September 30, 2011, 12:01 pm

Lake Odessa Wave, 22 Aug 1946

Thomas Barkdull, 94, was instantly killed Tuesday morning when he was struck by
the 10:20 Pere Marquette westbound streamliner as he was crossing the tracks on
the west side of the main street crossing.

According to several persons who witnessed the accident, Mr. Barkdull was
apparently on his way to his home on north Main street and did not see or hear
the oncoming train which travels through the village at a high rate of speed. 
The impact decapitated the elderly man and hurled his body against a telephone
pole 135 feet away.  Witnesses declared the train traveled nearly a mile before
it could be brought to a stop.  

Sheriff Dodes said the Mr. Barkdull was hit so hard that every bone in his body
was broken.  Dodes said there would be no inquest.

A brother, Hiram L., 87, met death in the same manner three years ago last March
when he was struck by a speeding train at the crossing one block east.

Mr. Barkdull, who was a retired farmer, had lived with his wife here in the
village for a number of years.  he was born February 23, 1852, at Van Wert,
Ohio, and came with his parents to Michigan when a young child.  He and his
wife, who was Mary L. Bower, were married 62 years and were the first Ionia
county couple to receive the old age pension.  He appeared to be in
exceptionally good health and active for a man of his age.

He is survived by his widow who is 86 years of age; two sons, Howard at Lansing
and Ellsworth at Redondo Beach., Cal., who had left for home Monday after
visiting his parents for a week.  Also surviving are five grandchildren, ten
great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at the Pickens chapel at 2 Friday afternoon with
the Rev. William B. Paterson officiating and burial will be in Lakeside cemetery.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/b/barkdull17081nob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 2.4 Kb