Beckham County, OK - Deaths: Curtis t. Burnett, 1920 
26 Oct 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell) 

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BURNETT, CURTIS T.
(4 Jun 1920, The Carter Express, Carter, Beckham Co, OK):
Killed By Train.  Curtis Burnett, son-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. T. L.
VanVacter of Carter, was instantly killed on Thursday of last week near
Michigan City, Indiana, when his car was struck by a fast train.  Mr.
Burnett was with a party of Elk City men driving Buick cars from Flint,
Mich., through to Elk City when the accident happened.  The remains
arrived at Elk City Sunday where the funeral was held, after which the
remains were sent to Texas for interment.
(4 Jun 1920, Elk City Press, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
In the death Thursday of last week of Curtis T. Burnett, Elk City has lost
one of its best and most beloved citizens.
Mr. Burnett had gone to Michigan to drive back automobiles with a party of
four, consisting of W. W. Kincaid, Jim Lee Robinson and Edgar Goehring. 
The party had started back, and they were driving on a road near Gary,
Ind., which runs parallel to the Michigan Central Railway.  They came to a
crossing and all stopped for a train to pass on the near track, the road
being double tracked.  After the train had passed, Robinson and Kincaid
crossed the tracks, and Burnett also started to cross.  When his car was
on the second track, it was struck by a train traveling the opposite
direction, at the rate of 60 miles an hour, which the party had failed to
notice, their attention having been diverted by the first train.
The car in which Burnett was driving was of course, demolished, and his
body thrown 75 feet, landing clear of the tracks.
Jim Lee Robinson brought the body to Elk City Sunday.  A large crowd was
on hand at the depot and accompanied it to the home of John Streit.
Funeral services were held at the Opera House at 3:30 p.m. Sunday under
the auspices of the A.F. & A.M., of which organization Mr. Burnett was a
member.  Rev. C. Bowles, chaplain, officiated.
Curtis was a prince among men, a most thoughtful son and a devoted husband.
He leaves a wife, Mrs. Myrtle Burnett, and a multitude of friends to mourn
his loss.  Mrs. Burnett has lived up to her Christian spirit, and is
bearing up bravely under her horrible and shocking experience.  His body
was taken to his old home at Bowie, Texas, for burial, alongside that of
his father who passed away only a few months ago.
The worshipful master and pall bearers from the A.F. & A.M. accompanied
the body to its grave.  The Press offers sincerest sympathies to his wife
and relatives in their hour of distress.
(Jun 1920, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
Curtis T. Burnett was born in Alvord, Texas, April 18th, 1885, and died
May 27th, 1920.  He came to Oklahoma in 1908 and staid (sic) at the home
of his brother, Jodie Burnett until he was married, Dec. 11th 1909 to Miss
Myrtle VanVacter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. VanVacter.
When a young man he joined the Baptist church.  He recently became a
member of the A.F. & A.M.  He was associated for a number of years with J.
F. Streit and was his main stay at the Fountain Cafe.  He was a most
devoted husband, and a loving son.  Every Sunday he wrote a letter to his
mother.  He was loved by relatives and friends.  He was a friend to all in
need and having lived here so long had made a wide acquaintance.  Besides
his many friends he leaves a wife, his mother, Mrs. R. M. Burnett at
Bowie, Texas; three brothers and four sisters: S. L. Burnett, Fort Worth,
Texas; Jodie J. Burnett, Norman, Okla.; Mrs. W. H. Winn, Fort Worth,
Texas; Mrs. James Abbott, Wichita Falls, Texas; John Q. Burnett, Misses
Jessie and Larue Burnett of Bowie, Texas.
The accident happened on a double track at crossing in country about
thirty miles from Gary, Ind., to which place they were going.  Mr. Kincaid
and Mr. Robinson drove across and looking back saw Curtis and Goehring
stopping for train so went on.  As train pulled out Curtis drove on and a
North-Western fast express coming from the opposite direction going
sixty-five miles an hour because of being late and making up lost time,
was not seen by Curtis until too late.  The auto was hit in rear throwing
Curtis seventy-five feet killing him instantly.  Goehring saw the train
and called to Curtis but it was too late.  The car was thrown fifty feet
and it was completely demolished, only one wheel and a few pieces of
engine left that could ever be used again.  Mr. Robinson heard crash and
called to Kincaid to stop and they ran back to train.  Goehring had gone
immediately to Curtis and when he met the men as they came up he informed
them that Curtis was dead.
The body was placed on train and taken to Gary and Messrs. Robinson,
Goehring, and Kincaid drove on in their cars.  An identification tag that
Mrs. Burnett had put on him before he left was why the undertaker had sent
the first word to her.  The people there were so kind to the men from here
who were overwhelmed with grief.  The Buick man at Gary left his business
and stayed with them until they left, doing everything possible for them. 
When undertaker found Curtis wore a Masonic pin, he then telephoned to the
Master of Masonic Lodge there and he was there about the time the Elk City
men arrived and the with the other Masons helped so much in every way,
offering their services in every way.  The Elk City men cannot praised the
people enough.  Nothing was left undone that the Elk City men could do.
The body accompanied by J. L. Robinson arrived here Sunday noon.  A very
large crowd of friends were there, also about seventy-five Masons who
formed in open ranks while the pall bearers carried the casket to the
motor hearse.  The pall bearers were:  J. F. Streit, A. S. Lee, Chas.
Johnson, Louis Ross, A. C. Streit, and W. O. Hock.
The casket was taken to the home of John Streit.  Masons formed line
behind hearse and with many friends in autos which made a long procession.
 Funeral services had been announced at the Opera House at 3:30 o'clock. 
Long before the hour the house was crowded.  The members of the Baptist
church had beautifully decorated the platform with draperies of white,
over which were vines and flowers intertwined, and there were also potted
plants, bouquets, the Masonic emblem, a pillow of flowers, etc.  As the
funeral party entered the building the choir sang softly "Asleep in
Jesus."  The casket was covered with a profusion of lovely flowers.  After
the opening exercises by the Masons they were seated in a body.
A quartette, "Jesus Savior Pilot Me" was rendered by Miss Iris Standifer,
Mrs. Wm. Francis, Mrs. Guy Herring and Miss Frances Mumpower.  After a
prayer by Rev. Bowles, the choir sang "It is well with my Soul."  Rev.
Bowles read obituary of the deceased, remarking at close that just three
weeks ago that deceased had finished his work in the Blue Lodge.  He used
the 23rd Psalm as the scripture lesson and in his address paid tribute to
his friend Curtis Burnett, for his quiet serene unassuming life who was a
friend to both rich and poor, who was always courteous to all, old and
young alike.
Following the address nearly 1000 people viewed the remains.  Grubitz &
Son had charge of funeral arrangements and ably conducted same.
The body was again taken to the Streit home to await night train when
accompanied by relatives and friends it was taken to Bowie, Texas, his
childhood home to be laid in the family lot where two years ago his father
was buried and last year a brother was laid to rest.