OBIT: Mary RUCKINGER, 1918, Mill Run, Blair County, PA

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GIRL'S CLOTHES CATCH FIRE AND BADLY BURN HER
Mary Puckinger [sic] Suffers Terrible Burns, Caused When Garments 
Ignite While Burning Rubbish

  Her clothes catching fire while she was burning weeds at the Pleasant 
Valley Farm, on the Mill Run road, at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, 
Miss Mary Ruckinger, aged 16, employed as a domestic at the farm, 
suffered horrible burns of the lower part of her body, and is now at 
the Altoona hospital in a critical condition.
  The girl had been working in the yard, surrounding the house, and had 
gathered up a large pile of weeds and small pieces of brush, and 
lighted it in order to dispose of the trash.  While near the flames, a 
gust of wind turned them on Miss Ruckinger and her dress caught fire.  
Her cries brought aid quickly, but before several men could beat out 
the flames they had badly burned her.
  The family physician was summoned, and, after alleviating her 
suffering as best he could, he advised her removal to the Altoona 
hospital and she was admitted to that institution at 6.30 o'clock.  All 
of the burns are of a third degree nature, and at an early hour this 
morning her condition was extremely critical.

Altoona Times, Altoona, Pa., Friday Morning, December 20, 1918

MILL RUN GIRL DIES OF BURNS AFTER 11 DAYS

  Mary Ruckinger, the 16 year old Mill Run girl, who was horribly 
burned about the entire body, when her clothes caught fire as she was 
burning rubbish near the orchard at the Pleasant Valley farm, on Dec. 
19, died at the Altoona hospital at 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon, 
as a result of the burns.
  The girl was employed as a domestic at the farm, and was engaged in 
cleaning up the lawn about the house, which is close to a large 
orchard.  She had lighted a large pile of the rubbish, and in putting 
more on the flames, went too close, with the result that her clothes 
became ignited, and before members of the household could extinguish 
the flames, she was terribly burned.
  Miss Ruckinger was rushed to the Altoona hospital, and physicians 
immediately stated that it was doubtful if she could survive, because 
of the nature of the burns, all being third degree.  For several days 
she hovered between life and death, and then showed a slight 
improvement, but late last week she took a sudden turn for the worse 
and yesterday morning it was seen that it was merely a matter of time 
until the end.
  She was the daughter of Karl and Mary Ruckinger, and besides her 
parents is survived by four brothers, Joseph, Karl, Frank and Andrew.  
She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic church.  Funeral services will 
be held from the Stevens mortuary at 9 o'clock Thursday morning, with 
burial in St. Mary's cemetery.

Altoona Times, Altoona, Pa., Tuesday Morning, December 31, 1918