OBIT: Death Notice of Josephine IRWIN, 1931, Salisbury, Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

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JOSEPHINE IRWIN

Tragic Death of a Salisbury Girl
Miss Josephine Irwin Instantly Killed in Auto Wreck Near Lewistown

  Many hearts were saddened in Salisbury and vicinity when it became known that 
Miss Josephine Irwin, aged 20 years, 5 months and 6 days, daughter of Mrs. 
Blanche Irwin, of West Ord Street, this borough, had met death suddenly on 
Sunday night, March 22nd, near McClure, Pa., when an automobile of the roadster 
type, in which she was riding with four friends crashed into a tree.
  Miss Irwin had been employed for the last five years as a reeler in the 
viscose plant in Lewistown, which is not far from the place where the fatal 
accident happened.
  The four companions who were with Miss Irwin were John Snook, of Wagner, Pa.; 
Miss Mildred Pry, of Lewistown; Clyde Wagner, of McClure, and Miss Myrtle 
Shreffler, of Lewistown.  The ages of the five persons who were riding in the 
car ranged from 19 to 22 years.  All were promptly rushed to a hospital in 
Lewistown, Miss Irwin dying before they arrived there.  John Snook, who has 
since died, had a fractured skull, lacerated face and broken nose, fractured 
left forearm and other injuries.
  Mildred Pry's forehead was lacerated and her left arm and left hip were 
fractured.
  Clyde Wagner had a jaw fractured and a hip dislocated.
  Myrtle Schreffler had her head lacerated and a bone in one of her hands 
broken.  Her injuries were not of sufficient severity to keep her in the 
hospital, but her companions were all injured seriously.
  The car in which these young people were riding was undoubtedly overcrowded, 
which is a common occurrence when young persons go on motor trips and seldom 
think of the danger of such overcrowding.
  A Lewistown newspaper, in its account of the wreck, among other things, has 
the following to say: "According to the best version of the wreck, the young 
people had been out Sunday afternoon for a pleasure drive, and returned to their 
respective homes in the early evening.  They later met, and again went for a 
drive, this time to McClure.  According to a sister of Miss Pry, the car was 
running at a high rate of speed, and the driver was requested by Miss Pry to 
slow down.  Her request was unheeded and presently the car got out of control 
and crashed against a large tree.   The roadster was reduced to junk.
  While the young people in the crash were unable to give coherent stories, it 
is believed that John Snook, owner of the roadster, was driving.  It is also 
believed that the other youth, Clyde Wagner, and one of the girls, probably Miss 
Pry, were in the rumble seat.  The story told by Miss Shreffler was that after 
the crash she crawled out over the body of Miss Irwin, leading to the belief 
that she and Miss Irwin were riding in the front seat with the driver."
  The remains of Miss Irwin were brought to the home of her mother by a 
Lewistown undertaker, arriving Tuesday afternoon.  The funeral was held at the 
Irwin home at 2 p.m., Thursday, the 26th inst.  The service was conducted by 
Rev. c. T. Whipple, of Berlin, pastor of the local M. E. Church.  The burial 
arrangements were in charge of Funeral Director W. C. Price of Meyersdale.  
Interment was made in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery at Addison, one of the most 
beautiful cemeteries in Somerset County.  There were many beautiful floral 
tributes.
  Miss Irwin was a young woman of rare personal charm and was held in high 
esteem by her employers and all who knew her.  She was the principal support of 
her widowed mother who, with one young son and two young daughters, namely, 
Edwin, Evanell and Naomi, all at home, are left to mourn her untimely death.  
Her father, Clair Irwin, died eight years ago.
  The neighbors and many good friends of Mrs. Irwin and her three fatherless 
children have been most kind and helpful to them during their great sorrow, 
which they greatly appreciate.

Meyersdale Republican, April 2, 1931