OBIT: Grover Ernest HUGAR, 1948, Altoona, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ MOTORCYCLIST, GIRL RIDER HURT IN CRASH A 27-year-old Altoona motorcyclist was still unconscious at the Altoona hospital at noon today and his companion, an 18-year-old girl, was listed as "fair" pending X-ray examinations after their motorcycle slid under a parked car on Seventh avenue early last evening. The unconscious man is Grover E. Hugar of 209 Seventh street, suffering from a possible fracture of the skull and possible fracture of the right clavicle, laceration of the right eye and body bruises. He was listed as "critical." The girl is Joanne Diehl of 404 1/2 Second avenue, who suffered a laceration over the right eye, contusions of the left elbow and left hip and general body bruises. While the initial police report on the accident said that Hugar "for some unknown reason" ran into the rear end of a parked car while traveling west on Seventh avenue between Fourth and Fifth streets, Miss Deihl [sic] from her hospital bed this morning maintained the machine was sideswiped by a "hit-and-run" car. The parked car was owned by Dionizio Contello of Bronx, N.Y., who was visiting at 427 Seventh avenue, in front of which the car was parked. Hugar and Miss Deihl [sic] were thrown from the machine by the impact and taken to the hospital by ambulance. Damage to the motorcycle was estimated at $60 and to the car $35. Altoona Mirror, Wednesday, July 28, 1948, page 1 SKULL INJURY IS FATAL FOR MOTORCYCLIST Grover E. Hugar [photo], 28, World War II Veteran, Dies at Hospital. Injuries suffered Tuesday evening in a motorcycle accident resulted in the death of Grover E. Hugar, aged 28, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Hugar of 209 Seventh street and a veteran of World war II, at the Altoona hospital at 6.50 o'clock this morning. The young man had suffered a fracture of the skull and died without regaining consciousness. With him on the motorcycle as a passenger at the time of the accident was Miss Joanne Diehl, aged 18, of 404 1/2 Second avenue, who is recovering at the Altoona hospital, her condition today being reported as good. The accident occurred early Tuesday evening as the motorcycle was being operated west on Seventh avenue. The machine is reported by police to have struck the left front bumper of a parked Lafferty Produce company truck when the motorcycle operator swerved his machine to avoid being struck by an automobile, the motorcycle skidding under a car parked near Fifth and spilling its riders alongside the parked machine. Reports Are Investigated. City police reported the above version of the accident and its cause after investigating reports that the motorcycle was sideswiped by an automobile. Members of the Hugar family have been informed by a woman who identified herself as a witness that the motorcycle was struck by an automobile as she observed the accident. She reported to the family that she had seen the motorcycle from the time it stopped at the stop sign on Fourth street and then turned onto Seventh avenue. The parked automobile, not involved in the actual accident, was owned by Dionizo Contello of the Bronx, N.Y. Deputy Coroner Edgar G. Walls was notified of the fatality this morning and is conducting an investigation for the coroner's office. Native of City. Grover Ernest Hugar was born in Altoona December 29, 1919, a son of Louis B. and Hannah (Sturgeon) Hugar, and resided here all his life. At the time he entered the army, May 2, 1942, he was employed in the Altoona works, and he returned to the city on being discharged Oct. 19, 1945, and resumed his employment in the car shops, Juniata. He served with company E, 172nd infantry, during the war, training at Camp Shelby, Miss., and Fort Ord, Calif., from where he went overseas in October, 1942. He was one of the troops aboard the U.S.S. President Coolidge when the vessel struck a mine and had to be beached. Continuing to the Pacific combat area he served in the various "new" areas in the southwest Pacific, New Hebrides, New Caledonia, New Georgia, New Zealand, New Guinea and on Guadalcanal to participating in the invasion of Luzon. On Luzon, Hugar suffered a wound of the back caused by chrapnel [sic], and was hospitalized for a time, later rejoining his company. He received the Purple Heart medal, het [sic] combat infantryman badge, area ribbons and a number of service stars. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant. In Altoona the young man was a member of the Fifth Avenue Methodist church and Sunday school and of the Altoona Motorcycle club. Surviving are his parents, two brothers and three sisters, Francis B. of the city, Gerald E., Misses Hazel and Dorothy C., at the home, and Mrs. Charles Howard, of Brookes Mills. Friends will be received at the N. A. Stevens mortuary after noon Saturday. Altoona Mirror, Friday, July 30, 1948, pages 1, 6 GROVER E. HUGAR [photo] Hugar, aged 28, of 209 Second avenue died yesterday morning at the Altoona hospital of skull injuries suffered on Seventh avenue near Fourth street Tuesday evening when his motorcycle struck a parked truck and skidded under a parked car. It was the second motorcycle fatality in the county his year. Altoona Mirror, Saturday, July 31, 1948, page 2 FUNERAL NOTICE HUGAR - Funeral service for Grover E. Hugar of 209 Seventh street will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Stevens Memorial chapel in charge of Rev. Roy A. Goss. Interment in Greenwood cemetery. Friends are being received at the N. A. Stevens mortuary. Altoona Mirror, Saturday, July 31, 1948, page 11