Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Beck, Claud Rozelle December 23, 1934 ************************************************ 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: Patricia Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net September 12, 2021, 9:40 am Lake Odessa Wave-December 27, 1934 CLAUD R. BECK DIES IN AUTO ACCIDENT Son of S.T. Beck, Former Resident of Lake Odessa. Others Injured on M-37 An automobile accident, resulting in the death of Claud Rozelle Beck, 29, and Mrs Josephine Seifert, 26, mother of two small children, and the serious injury of Stephen Karmes, 20, occurred Sunday night at about 9 o'clock, near the home of Albert Williams, on M-37, five miles south of Hastings. It appears that Beck and Mrs Seifert wished to be driven to Battle Creek, and arranged with Karmes to take them in his car. The paving seemed in good condition for driving, and the car was going at a fast clip when it struck the icy stretch next to the woods on the Williams farm, where it swerved to the left and crashed into a large walnut tree on the east side of the roadway, not far from the Williams home. The impact wound the front axle around the tree, knocked the engine off its block, broke the gasoline tank, the contents of which immediately caught fire. Karmes was thrown out of the car and badly hurt. His clothes were in flames. He realized this added danger enough to roll in the snow and put out the fire in his clothing but not until his right hand and arm were severely burned. He was trying, despite his other injuries, to reach the car and help the other two out of the flaming automobile when another car arrived on the scene. Another car came along and aid was given but all were too dazed to miss Beck who was under the car and was only found when officers and Dr. Kenneth McIntyre had arrived. It was then that the body of Claud Beck, burned beyond recognition was found. An ambulance took the remains to Hastings. It seems probable that Beck a killed outright or rendered unconscious when the car hit the tree. At the hospital it was found that Mrs Seifert had been burned about the face, hands and limbs. Her right leg was broken above the knee, the bone protruding through the flesh. She died at 4 o'clock Monday morning. The funeral of Claud Beck was held at the Irving cemetery Wednesday forenoon. He was the son of Samuel T. Beck, who manages the Farmer's Market store in Hastings. The Becks were former residents of Lake Odessa for many years where the father and son were decorators. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/b/beck40876nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 2.8 Kb