Mrs. Kathryn Applegate of Muncie, Ind., was killed and four others seriously injured when the 45-foot cruiser Osprey exploded and sank at Fort Myers Beach, Florida on Saturday, March 5, 1949. Injured were her husband, Ray Applegate, Edmund F. and Isabel Ball of Muncie, and Elmo Santini of Fort Myers Beach. A leaky gasoline line apparently led to the explosion. Ball said he was just leaving to go into the cockpit to tell Santini, a fishing guide and owner of the boat, that he smelled gasoline when the explosion occurred.
Mrs. Applegate and Mrs. Ball were seated at the back of the boat and they and Mr. Applegate were blown into the ocean by the concussion. Mr. Ball who was approaching Santini to tell him about smelling gasoline, was blown into the air and landed on the boat as did Santini just before it sank. The explosion occurred in the midst of a fleet of boats taking advantage of a run of kingfish, and fishermen brought the victims ashore.
All except Mrs. Applegate were rushed to a Fort Myers hospital 15 miles from where the explosion occurred. Mrs. Applegate was so badly hurt she was kept on the docks and artificial respiration applied for three hours before she was pronounced dead. The body of Mrs. Applegate was removed to the Englehardt funeral home in Fort Myers. Mrs. Applegate died of concussion and was also burned.
Mr. and Mrs. Applegate arrived at the Pelican Hotel at Fort Myers Beach ten days ago for a vacation and rest, after attending the National Home Builders Association exposition in Chicago. They had flown in a commercial airlines plane from Chicago to Tampa, where they spent a few days before going to the gulf.
Mr. and Mrs. Ball joined them Thursday evening, after an eight hour flight from Muncie in their private plane, and the Applegates had planned to return to Muncie with the Balls. They spent Friday fishing from the cruiser, Osprey in the gulf and chartered the vessel for another fishing expedition the next day.
Only recently, Mrs. Applegate and her husband were licensed pilots and had been flying their private plane on comparatively short trips from Muncie. She was a member of the Psi Iota Xi sorority, a charter member of the National League of American Pen Women, a member of the Delaware Country Club, the Muncie Art Association, Matinee Musicale, Ball Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and other organizations.
Mrs. Applegate was one of the prominent members of Muncie society. She was society editor of The Muncie Star for almost ten years, retiring in 1935. Prior to her marriage to Mr. Applegate she was employed in the business office of the Muncie Evening Press. Her husband, Ray Applegate, Muncie advertising executive with offices in the Rose Court, survives with serious injuries. She is survived by two daughters. Mrs. Joseph H. Sutton (the former Virginia Lewellen) and Mrs. Clyde Botkin (the former Betty Lewellen), and three grandchildren, Susan Betty Botkin, Linda Kay and Joseph Ray Sutton, all of Muncie, and a brother, John McArthur, Phoenix, Ariz. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. T. McArthur, both deceased, who came to Muncie from Portland.
The train bearing Mrs. Applegate's body arrived in Muncie on Tuesday morning, March 8, and was taken to Meeks mortuary where funeral services are scheduled to be conducted at 11 o'clock on Wednesday by Rev. Lewis Weber Gishler, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and Rev. C. Russell Moodey, rector of the Grace Episcopal Church. Interment will follow in the crypt at Elm Ridge Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will include Dr. Joseph Ricketts of Indianapolis; Wilbur E. Sutton, Edmund F. Ball, Frank A. Hanley and William H. Ball. Active pallbearers will be Cassius McCormick, Bennett Heath, Joseph Broderick, Wiley Spurgeon, Joseph T. Meredith, Marvin Smith, Fred J. Petty and John O. Ferris. Friends may call at the mortuary after 5 o'clock Tuesday. The casket will not be opened. Friends have been requested not to send flowers by the family.
NOTE: Mrs. Isabel Urban Ball died from her injuries on Monday, March 7, 1949. Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate survived their injuries. A DC-3 airplane was chartered at Nationwide Airlines, Inc., Detroit. Twelve seats were removed from the plane before it left Detroit. It landed at the Muncie airport Monday night, March 7, and 55 minutes later departed for Fort Myers after picking up Clyde Shockley, airport manager, and his son, John, who were to fly Mr. Ball's private plane back to Muncie. Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate, on stretchers and in casts were passengers on the flight from Fort Myers to Muncie on Tuesday, March 8. The body of Isabel Ball and the mothers of Mr. and Mrs. Ball were on the plane too. Both Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate were to be taken to the Ball home on Riverside Ave. immediately upon arriving in Muncie. Hospital beds were set up in the home for the two men, with special nurses to be on duty both day and night.
Mrs. Applegate and Mrs. Ball were seated at the back of the boat and they and Mr. Applegate were blown into the ocean by the concussion. Mr. Ball who was approaching Santini to tell him about smelling gasoline, was blown into the air and landed on the boat as did Santini just before it sank. The explosion occurred in the midst of a fleet of boats taking advantage of a run of kingfish, and fishermen brought the victims ashore.
All except Mrs. Applegate were rushed to a Fort Myers hospital 15 miles from where the explosion occurred. Mrs. Applegate was so badly hurt she was kept on the docks and artificial respiration applied for three hours before she was pronounced dead. The body of Mrs. Applegate was removed to the Englehardt funeral home in Fort Myers. Mrs. Applegate died of concussion and was also burned.
Mr. and Mrs. Applegate arrived at the Pelican Hotel at Fort Myers Beach ten days ago for a vacation and rest, after attending the National Home Builders Association exposition in Chicago. They had flown in a commercial airlines plane from Chicago to Tampa, where they spent a few days before going to the gulf.
Mr. and Mrs. Ball joined them Thursday evening, after an eight hour flight from Muncie in their private plane, and the Applegates had planned to return to Muncie with the Balls. They spent Friday fishing from the cruiser, Osprey in the gulf and chartered the vessel for another fishing expedition the next day.
Only recently, Mrs. Applegate and her husband were licensed pilots and had been flying their private plane on comparatively short trips from Muncie. She was a member of the Psi Iota Xi sorority, a charter member of the National League of American Pen Women, a member of the Delaware Country Club, the Muncie Art Association, Matinee Musicale, Ball Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and other organizations.
Mrs. Applegate was one of the prominent members of Muncie society. She was society editor of The Muncie Star for almost ten years, retiring in 1935. Prior to her marriage to Mr. Applegate she was employed in the business office of the Muncie Evening Press. Her husband, Ray Applegate, Muncie advertising executive with offices in the Rose Court, survives with serious injuries. She is survived by two daughters. Mrs. Joseph H. Sutton (the former Virginia Lewellen) and Mrs. Clyde Botkin (the former Betty Lewellen), and three grandchildren, Susan Betty Botkin, Linda Kay and Joseph Ray Sutton, all of Muncie, and a brother, John McArthur, Phoenix, Ariz. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. T. McArthur, both deceased, who came to Muncie from Portland.
The train bearing Mrs. Applegate's body arrived in Muncie on Tuesday morning, March 8, and was taken to Meeks mortuary where funeral services are scheduled to be conducted at 11 o'clock on Wednesday by Rev. Lewis Weber Gishler, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and Rev. C. Russell Moodey, rector of the Grace Episcopal Church. Interment will follow in the crypt at Elm Ridge Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will include Dr. Joseph Ricketts of Indianapolis; Wilbur E. Sutton, Edmund F. Ball, Frank A. Hanley and William H. Ball. Active pallbearers will be Cassius McCormick, Bennett Heath, Joseph Broderick, Wiley Spurgeon, Joseph T. Meredith, Marvin Smith, Fred J. Petty and John O. Ferris. Friends may call at the mortuary after 5 o'clock Tuesday. The casket will not be opened. Friends have been requested not to send flowers by the family.
NOTE: Mrs. Isabel Urban Ball died from her injuries on Monday, March 7, 1949. Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate survived their injuries. A DC-3 airplane was chartered at Nationwide Airlines, Inc., Detroit. Twelve seats were removed from the plane before it left Detroit. It landed at the Muncie airport Monday night, March 7, and 55 minutes later departed for Fort Myers after picking up Clyde Shockley, airport manager, and his son, John, who were to fly Mr. Ball's private plane back to Muncie. Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate, on stretchers and in casts were passengers on the flight from Fort Myers to Muncie on Tuesday, March 8. The body of Isabel Ball and the mothers of Mr. and Mrs. Ball were on the plane too. Both Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate were to be taken to the Ball home on Riverside Ave. immediately upon arriving in Muncie. Hospital beds were set up in the home for the two men, with special nurses to be on duty both day and night.
Mrs. Kathryn Applegate of Muncie, Ind., was killed and four others seriously injured when the 45-foot cruiser Osprey exploded and sank at Fort Myers Beach, Florida on Saturday, March 5, 1949. Injured were her husband, Ray Applegate, Edmund F. and Isabel Ball of Muncie, and Elmo Santini of Fort Myers Beach. A leaky gasoline line apparently led to the explosion. Ball said he was just leaving to go into the cockpit to tell Santini, a fishing guide and owner of the boat, that he smelled gasoline when the explosion occurred.
Mrs. Applegate and Mrs. Ball were seated at the back of the boat and they and Mr. Applegate were blown into the ocean by the concussion. Mr. Ball who was approaching Santini to tell him about smelling gasoline, was blown into the air and landed on the boat as did Santini just before it sank. The explosion occurred in the midst of a fleet of boats taking advantage of a run of kingfish, and fishermen brought the victims ashore.
All except Mrs. Applegate were rushed to a Fort Myers hospital 15 miles from where the explosion occurred. Mrs. Applegate was so badly hurt she was kept on the docks and artificial respiration applied for three hours before she was pronounced dead. The body of Mrs. Applegate was removed to the Englehardt funeral home in Fort Myers. Mrs. Applegate died of concussion and was also burned.
Mr. and Mrs. Applegate arrived at the Pelican Hotel at Fort Myers Beach ten days ago for a vacation and rest, after attending the National Home Builders Association exposition in Chicago. They had flown in a commercial airlines plane from Chicago to Tampa, where they spent a few days before going to the gulf.
Mr. and Mrs. Ball joined them Thursday evening, after an eight hour flight from Muncie in their private plane, and the Applegates had planned to return to Muncie with the Balls. They spent Friday fishing from the cruiser, Osprey in the gulf and chartered the vessel for another fishing expedition the next day.
Only recently, Mrs. Applegate and her husband were licensed pilots and had been flying their private plane on comparatively short trips from Muncie. She was a member of the Psi Iota Xi sorority, a charter member of the National League of American Pen Women, a member of the Delaware Country Club, the Muncie Art Association, Matinee Musicale, Ball Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and other organizations.
Mrs. Applegate was one of the prominent members of Muncie society. She was society editor of The Muncie Star for almost ten years, retiring in 1935. Prior to her marriage to Mr. Applegate she was employed in the business office of the Muncie Evening Press. Her husband, Ray Applegate, Muncie advertising executive with offices in the Rose Court, survives with serious injuries. She is survived by two daughters. Mrs. Joseph H. Sutton (the former Virginia Lewellen) and Mrs. Clyde Botkin (the former Betty Lewellen), and three grandchildren, Susan Betty Botkin, Linda Kay and Joseph Ray Sutton, all of Muncie, and a brother, John McArthur, Phoenix, Ariz. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. T. McArthur, both deceased, who came to Muncie from Portland.
The train bearing Mrs. Applegate's body arrived in Muncie on Tuesday morning, March 8, and was taken to Meeks mortuary where funeral services are scheduled to be conducted at 11 o'clock on Wednesday by Rev. Lewis Weber Gishler, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and Rev. C. Russell Moodey, rector of the Grace Episcopal Church. Interment will follow in the crypt at Elm Ridge Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will include Dr. Joseph Ricketts of Indianapolis; Wilbur E. Sutton, Edmund F. Ball, Frank A. Hanley and William H. Ball. Active pallbearers will be Cassius McCormick, Bennett Heath, Joseph Broderick, Wiley Spurgeon, Joseph T. Meredith, Marvin Smith, Fred J. Petty and John O. Ferris. Friends may call at the mortuary after 5 o'clock Tuesday. The casket will not be opened. Friends have been requested not to send flowers by the family.
NOTE: Mrs. Isabel Urban Ball died from her injuries on Monday, March 7, 1949. Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate survived their injuries. A DC-3 airplane was chartered at Nationwide Airlines, Inc., Detroit. Twelve seats were removed from the plane before it left Detroit. It landed at the Muncie airport Monday night, March 7, and 55 minutes later departed for Fort Myers after picking up Clyde Shockley, airport manager, and his son, John, who were to fly Mr. Ball's private plane back to Muncie. Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate, on stretchers and in casts were passengers on the flight from Fort Myers to Muncie on Tuesday, March 8. The body of Isabel Ball and the mothers of Mr. and Mrs. Ball were on the plane too. Both Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate were to be taken to the Ball home on Riverside Ave. immediately upon arriving in Muncie. Hospital beds were set up in the home for the two men, with special nurses to be on duty both day and night.
Mrs. Applegate and Mrs. Ball were seated at the back of the boat and they and Mr. Applegate were blown into the ocean by the concussion. Mr. Ball who was approaching Santini to tell him about smelling gasoline, was blown into the air and landed on the boat as did Santini just before it sank. The explosion occurred in the midst of a fleet of boats taking advantage of a run of kingfish, and fishermen brought the victims ashore.
All except Mrs. Applegate were rushed to a Fort Myers hospital 15 miles from where the explosion occurred. Mrs. Applegate was so badly hurt she was kept on the docks and artificial respiration applied for three hours before she was pronounced dead. The body of Mrs. Applegate was removed to the Englehardt funeral home in Fort Myers. Mrs. Applegate died of concussion and was also burned.
Mr. and Mrs. Applegate arrived at the Pelican Hotel at Fort Myers Beach ten days ago for a vacation and rest, after attending the National Home Builders Association exposition in Chicago. They had flown in a commercial airlines plane from Chicago to Tampa, where they spent a few days before going to the gulf.
Mr. and Mrs. Ball joined them Thursday evening, after an eight hour flight from Muncie in their private plane, and the Applegates had planned to return to Muncie with the Balls. They spent Friday fishing from the cruiser, Osprey in the gulf and chartered the vessel for another fishing expedition the next day.
Only recently, Mrs. Applegate and her husband were licensed pilots and had been flying their private plane on comparatively short trips from Muncie. She was a member of the Psi Iota Xi sorority, a charter member of the National League of American Pen Women, a member of the Delaware Country Club, the Muncie Art Association, Matinee Musicale, Ball Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and other organizations.
Mrs. Applegate was one of the prominent members of Muncie society. She was society editor of The Muncie Star for almost ten years, retiring in 1935. Prior to her marriage to Mr. Applegate she was employed in the business office of the Muncie Evening Press. Her husband, Ray Applegate, Muncie advertising executive with offices in the Rose Court, survives with serious injuries. She is survived by two daughters. Mrs. Joseph H. Sutton (the former Virginia Lewellen) and Mrs. Clyde Botkin (the former Betty Lewellen), and three grandchildren, Susan Betty Botkin, Linda Kay and Joseph Ray Sutton, all of Muncie, and a brother, John McArthur, Phoenix, Ariz. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. T. McArthur, both deceased, who came to Muncie from Portland.
The train bearing Mrs. Applegate's body arrived in Muncie on Tuesday morning, March 8, and was taken to Meeks mortuary where funeral services are scheduled to be conducted at 11 o'clock on Wednesday by Rev. Lewis Weber Gishler, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and Rev. C. Russell Moodey, rector of the Grace Episcopal Church. Interment will follow in the crypt at Elm Ridge Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will include Dr. Joseph Ricketts of Indianapolis; Wilbur E. Sutton, Edmund F. Ball, Frank A. Hanley and William H. Ball. Active pallbearers will be Cassius McCormick, Bennett Heath, Joseph Broderick, Wiley Spurgeon, Joseph T. Meredith, Marvin Smith, Fred J. Petty and John O. Ferris. Friends may call at the mortuary after 5 o'clock Tuesday. The casket will not be opened. Friends have been requested not to send flowers by the family.
NOTE: Mrs. Isabel Urban Ball died from her injuries on Monday, March 7, 1949. Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate survived their injuries. A DC-3 airplane was chartered at Nationwide Airlines, Inc., Detroit. Twelve seats were removed from the plane before it left Detroit. It landed at the Muncie airport Monday night, March 7, and 55 minutes later departed for Fort Myers after picking up Clyde Shockley, airport manager, and his son, John, who were to fly Mr. Ball's private plane back to Muncie. Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate, on stretchers and in casts were passengers on the flight from Fort Myers to Muncie on Tuesday, March 8. The body of Isabel Ball and the mothers of Mr. and Mrs. Ball were on the plane too. Both Mr. Ball and Mr. Applegate were to be taken to the Ball home on Riverside Ave. immediately upon arriving in Muncie. Hospital beds were set up in the home for the two men, with special nurses to be on duty both day and night.
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