OBIT: William Clarence KEIM, 1943, Salisbury, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library. Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ WILLIAM CLARENCE KEIM Salisbury Child Victim of Fatal Accident Little Son of Ernest and Verna Keim Killed When Hit by Car Driven By Harriet Showalter A very distressing accident occurred in Salisbury about 10 o'clock Wednesday morning when a car driven by Miss Harriet Showalter got out of control and struck William Clarence Keim, 5-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Keim, who was on the side walk near his parents' home, inflicting injuries which proved fatal about 1 1/2 hours after the mishap. According to a report made by Pvt. Paul O'Hara, of the State Motor Police, who investigated, Miss Showalter was making a left turn from Ord Street into Smith Avenue when she lost control of the car and ran up a small embankment onto the sidewalk where the child was struck. The officer said the car proceeded about 97 feet after making the turn into Smith Avenue, before she got it stopped. Dr. Solosko, who was at his home in Salisbury when the accident happened was called immediately after the Keim child was injured, and seeing that the little chap was hurt very seriously he placed him in his car and accompanied by Rev. S. D. Sigler, rushed the unfortunate child to the Hazel McGilvery Hospital in Meyersdale, for surgical treatment. It was found that the young patient had a skull fracture and internal injuries which resulted in his death within an hour after entering the hospital. Coroner P. C. Dosch of Somerset upon being notified, made a preliminary investigation, and arranged to hold an inquest in the Salisbury town hall at 7:30 next Monday evening. Miss Showalter, the driver of the death car, is deeply distressed over the lamentable tragedy, as are also her parents, and other members of the family. She is the 18-year-old daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Samuel A.* Showalter of Salisbury and was driving her father's car. The child is survived by his parents and the following brother and sisters: Mary Lou, Jack, Hester and Patricia. The child's mother was the former Miss Helen Loechel, daughter of Mrs. Ollie Loechel of near Grantsville. The funeral will be held at the home Saturday at 11 a.m. with Rev. Ira S. Monn, pastor of the Reformed Church and Rev. S. D. Sigler, pastor of the Lutheran Church officiating. Burial in the Odd Fellows Cemetery at Salisbury under the direction of Stanley Thomas, mortician. [*should be Samuel C. Showalter] Meyersdale Republican, September 9, 1943 --------- WILLIAM CLARENCE KEIM (ADDENDUM) Salisbury Siftings Tragic Death of Little Boy Brought Over 600 Persons to Saddened Home The tragic Death of William Clarence Keim, 5-year-old son of Ernest and Helen Loechel Keim, an account of whose death appeared in last week's issue of The Republican, brought between 600 and 700 persons to the saddened Keim home. Among those who came from homes outside of Salisbury borough and Elk Lick Township, were Mr. and Mrs. James Lambert, Mrs. Robert Bracey and Mrs. Gus Zellers, Frostburg; C. E. Gnagey, Washington, Pa.; Mrs. Harvey Parsons and Pvt. William Lowry, Baltimore; Mrs. C. C. Beachy, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Loechel, Mrs. J. U. Stanton, Mr. and Mrs. Casper Loechel, Grantsville; C. H. Baker and family, Uniontown; Mrs. Sara Spier, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Johnson, Meyersdale; Mrs. Charles Cook, Mrs. Eileen Gearhart and children, Rockwood; Frank Keim and family, Johnstown, and Capt. B. H. Hoke, Army Medical Corps, Aberdeen, Md. The floral tributes were large and gorgeous, and 53 in number. Billy Keim, as he was best known to his many friends, was a general favorite in this community, noted for his energy and many other likable qualities. In addition to those who attended the funeral, many others called at the Keim home to extend their sympathy to the bereaved family, and to offer any assistance they might be able to give both before, during and after the funeral, all of which was deeply appreciated beyond any words of expression, by the bereaved family. The pallbearers at the funeral were the following young friends of Billy: Howard Bowman, Walter Hanft, Joe Engle, Dale Hoffman, Robert Beachy and Ronald Riley, whose average age is about 12 years. There were few slight mistakes in the Republican's account, last week, of the accident which cost Billy Keim his life. The heart-broken girl who caused the accident through excitement, is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Showalter, not Samuel A. Showalter, as this paper had it last week. Not only are Mr. and Mrs. Keim heart-broken over the loss of their child, but they also share the distress the accident brought to Miss Harriet Showalter and her parents. County Coroner Dosch was in Salisbury Monday night, and held an inquest before a jury composed of Mrs. Vida Haselbarth, D. W. Livengood, R. H. Johnston, C. A. Maust, W. D. Weise and Bayard Maust. C. A. Maust was foreman of the jury, and the verdict of the jury was that "William Keim died September 8, 1943, as a result of injuries accidently received by being struck by a motor vehicle operated by Harriet Showalter. Following the inquest, information against Miss Showalter was filed by the State Police for motor vehicle code violation. Meyersdale Republican, September 16, 1943