Article from the Grant County Hearld Independant, 3 July 1974 reads...
Four members of a Geneseco, Illinois family were killed Thursday afternoon, June 25 when their car was hit by a Burlington Northern freight train at a crossing near Bagley. Dead are the driver, Raymond Achterhof, 60, his wife, Dorothy, 57, and their sons, Benton, 28 and Kim, 19. According to officers at the scene, the widows of the car were closed and the air conditioner apparently running. The engineer said the car was moving slowly but made no apparent effort to stop, The 56 car freight train was traveling at about 43 miles per hour. The impact sent the car 150 feet down the tracks, throwing out three of the occupants. The Achterhofs were staying in a cabin at River of Lakes Resort and were returning there from town when the accident happened on Willow Lane. The one lane crossing is marked with a crossing sign, but no signals. The family was well known in Geneseo where the operated a supermarket. (photo of accident accompanies the article)
Article from the Geneseo Republic, 4 July 1974 reads…
Achterhof family of four killed in car-train crash
Four members of the Ray Achterhof family of Geneseo, who left June 24 for a vacation in Wisconsin, were killed Thursday afternoon June 27, when a freight train struck their car at a crossing at the edge of the village of Bagley, which is located south of Prairie du Chien,
Fatally injured were Raymond "Ray" Achterhof, 60, operator of Ray's Super Valu, Geneseo, his wife, Dorothy, 58, and two son, Benton K., 27, and Kim, 19, of 405 South Geneseo Street , Geneseo.
Previously he operated the A & P store in Cambridge.
The family was on vacation and staying at the River Lake Resort, a mile southeast of Bagley, an area they had returned to for vacations over the last 10 years.
It was determined by Dr. Leo Becker, coroner of Grant County, Wisconsin, that the members of the family were killed immediately when their auto was struck broadside by a Burlington Northern freight train.
The train was northbound, traveling at a speed of 45-50 m.p.h. and the auto, which was crossing the tracks appeared to be traveling 10 m.p.h. There are no signals or lights at the crossing.
The engineer of the train told sheriff's deputies that he saw the auto approach the crossing and sounded a warning whistle. However, Ray Achterhof, the apparent driver, did not see the train or hear the whistle.
The car and its occupants were thrown 50 feet through the air. It bounced along the railroad tracks for another 100 feet and came to rest between two sets of tracks.
Funeral services for the family were held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 30, in the Wright Funeral Home, Geneseo, with Rev. Donald Stewart, pastor of the Geneseo First Presbyterian church, officiating. Mrs. William Krantz was organist.
Honorary pallbearers were Donald Klavohn, Raymond Green, Victor Orsi, George Kutsunis, Robert Busenbark, F. C. Swan, Denver Haase, William Hanford, Harold Bengtson, Keith Follett, Robert White, Dr. James Parsons, Donald Wiersema and John Achterhof.
The family was all members of the First United Presbyterian church.
Mr. Achterhof was born June 4, 1914, in Morrison, the son of Jacob and Harriet Ostema Achterhof. He was reared and received his education in Morrison.
On August 23, 139, he married Dorothy Gilhooley in Morrison. They moved to Geneseo in 1947 and have resided in Geneseo ever since.
Mr. Achterhof served two terms as Geneseo second ward alderman from 1953 to 1957. He was a charter member of the Geneeo Chamber of Commerce. He served as a past member of the board of directors.
Mrs. Achterhof assisted her husband part-time in the bookkeeping department of their business. She was a member of the United Presbyterian church and was active in the Richmond Hill Players Community Theater, Geneseo. She played the lead roll of Martha Brewster in the player's first show of the season, "Arsenc and Old Lace" which had its final performance June 23.
Mrs. Achterhof, the former Dorothy Marie Gilhooley, was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, March 9, 1916, the daughter of Daniel F. and Emma Kubovec Gilhooley.
Benton was born August 8, 1946, in Morrison, He served a four year tour of duty in the Army medical which included three years service in Germany and one year in Vietnam. he was a student at the University of Illinois.
Kim, born August 11, 1954, in Genese, also a student at the University of Illinois, where he was majoring in business administration. He was an honor student and a member of the university marching band.
Surviving is the couple's son, Gil of Galva; two grandchildren, Mr. Achrerhof's brothers, Bernard, Geneseo and Marvin of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; his three sisters, Mrs. John Wiersema of Morrison, Mrs. Theodore Salminen of St. Paul, Minnesota and Mrs. George Lartz of Savanna and Mrs. Achterhof's sister Mrs. Evelyn Scholfield, Rock Island.
Four members of a Geneseco, Illinois family were killed Thursday afternoon, June 25 when their car was hit by a Burlington Northern freight train at a crossing near Bagley. Dead are the driver, Raymond Achterhof, 60, his wife, Dorothy, 57, and their sons, Benton, 28 and Kim, 19. According to officers at the scene, the widows of the car were closed and the air conditioner apparently running. The engineer said the car was moving slowly but made no apparent effort to stop, The 56 car freight train was traveling at about 43 miles per hour. The impact sent the car 150 feet down the tracks, throwing out three of the occupants. The Achterhofs were staying in a cabin at River of Lakes Resort and were returning there from town when the accident happened on Willow Lane. The one lane crossing is marked with a crossing sign, but no signals. The family was well known in Geneseo where the operated a supermarket. (photo of accident accompanies the article)
Article from the Geneseo Republic, 4 July 1974 reads…
Achterhof family of four killed in car-train crash
Four members of the Ray Achterhof family of Geneseo, who left June 24 for a vacation in Wisconsin, were killed Thursday afternoon June 27, when a freight train struck their car at a crossing at the edge of the village of Bagley, which is located south of Prairie du Chien,
Fatally injured were Raymond "Ray" Achterhof, 60, operator of Ray's Super Valu, Geneseo, his wife, Dorothy, 58, and two son, Benton K., 27, and Kim, 19, of 405 South Geneseo Street , Geneseo.
Previously he operated the A & P store in Cambridge.
The family was on vacation and staying at the River Lake Resort, a mile southeast of Bagley, an area they had returned to for vacations over the last 10 years.
It was determined by Dr. Leo Becker, coroner of Grant County, Wisconsin, that the members of the family were killed immediately when their auto was struck broadside by a Burlington Northern freight train.
The train was northbound, traveling at a speed of 45-50 m.p.h. and the auto, which was crossing the tracks appeared to be traveling 10 m.p.h. There are no signals or lights at the crossing.
The engineer of the train told sheriff's deputies that he saw the auto approach the crossing and sounded a warning whistle. However, Ray Achterhof, the apparent driver, did not see the train or hear the whistle.
The car and its occupants were thrown 50 feet through the air. It bounced along the railroad tracks for another 100 feet and came to rest between two sets of tracks.
Funeral services for the family were held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 30, in the Wright Funeral Home, Geneseo, with Rev. Donald Stewart, pastor of the Geneseo First Presbyterian church, officiating. Mrs. William Krantz was organist.
Honorary pallbearers were Donald Klavohn, Raymond Green, Victor Orsi, George Kutsunis, Robert Busenbark, F. C. Swan, Denver Haase, William Hanford, Harold Bengtson, Keith Follett, Robert White, Dr. James Parsons, Donald Wiersema and John Achterhof.
The family was all members of the First United Presbyterian church.
Mr. Achterhof was born June 4, 1914, in Morrison, the son of Jacob and Harriet Ostema Achterhof. He was reared and received his education in Morrison.
On August 23, 139, he married Dorothy Gilhooley in Morrison. They moved to Geneseo in 1947 and have resided in Geneseo ever since.
Mr. Achterhof served two terms as Geneseo second ward alderman from 1953 to 1957. He was a charter member of the Geneeo Chamber of Commerce. He served as a past member of the board of directors.
Mrs. Achterhof assisted her husband part-time in the bookkeeping department of their business. She was a member of the United Presbyterian church and was active in the Richmond Hill Players Community Theater, Geneseo. She played the lead roll of Martha Brewster in the player's first show of the season, "Arsenc and Old Lace" which had its final performance June 23.
Mrs. Achterhof, the former Dorothy Marie Gilhooley, was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, March 9, 1916, the daughter of Daniel F. and Emma Kubovec Gilhooley.
Benton was born August 8, 1946, in Morrison, He served a four year tour of duty in the Army medical which included three years service in Germany and one year in Vietnam. he was a student at the University of Illinois.
Kim, born August 11, 1954, in Genese, also a student at the University of Illinois, where he was majoring in business administration. He was an honor student and a member of the university marching band.
Surviving is the couple's son, Gil of Galva; two grandchildren, Mr. Achrerhof's brothers, Bernard, Geneseo and Marvin of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; his three sisters, Mrs. John Wiersema of Morrison, Mrs. Theodore Salminen of St. Paul, Minnesota and Mrs. George Lartz of Savanna and Mrs. Achterhof's sister Mrs. Evelyn Scholfield, Rock Island.
Article from the Grant County Hearld Independant, 3 July 1974 reads...
Four members of a Geneseco, Illinois family were killed Thursday afternoon, June 25 when their car was hit by a Burlington Northern freight train at a crossing near Bagley. Dead are the driver, Raymond Achterhof, 60, his wife, Dorothy, 57, and their sons, Benton, 28 and Kim, 19. According to officers at the scene, the widows of the car were closed and the air conditioner apparently running. The engineer said the car was moving slowly but made no apparent effort to stop, The 56 car freight train was traveling at about 43 miles per hour. The impact sent the car 150 feet down the tracks, throwing out three of the occupants. The Achterhofs were staying in a cabin at River of Lakes Resort and were returning there from town when the accident happened on Willow Lane. The one lane crossing is marked with a crossing sign, but no signals. The family was well known in Geneseo where the operated a supermarket. (photo of accident accompanies the article)
Article from the Geneseo Republic, 4 July 1974 reads…
Achterhof family of four killed in car-train crash
Four members of the Ray Achterhof family of Geneseo, who left June 24 for a vacation in Wisconsin, were killed Thursday afternoon June 27, when a freight train struck their car at a crossing at the edge of the village of Bagley, which is located south of Prairie du Chien,
Fatally injured were Raymond "Ray" Achterhof, 60, operator of Ray's Super Valu, Geneseo, his wife, Dorothy, 58, and two son, Benton K., 27, and Kim, 19, of 405 South Geneseo Street , Geneseo.
Previously he operated the A & P store in Cambridge.
The family was on vacation and staying at the River Lake Resort, a mile southeast of Bagley, an area they had returned to for vacations over the last 10 years.
It was determined by Dr. Leo Becker, coroner of Grant County, Wisconsin, that the members of the family were killed immediately when their auto was struck broadside by a Burlington Northern freight train.
The train was northbound, traveling at a speed of 45-50 m.p.h. and the auto, which was crossing the tracks appeared to be traveling 10 m.p.h. There are no signals or lights at the crossing.
The engineer of the train told sheriff's deputies that he saw the auto approach the crossing and sounded a warning whistle. However, Ray Achterhof, the apparent driver, did not see the train or hear the whistle.
The car and its occupants were thrown 50 feet through the air. It bounced along the railroad tracks for another 100 feet and came to rest between two sets of tracks.
Funeral services for the family were held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 30, in the Wright Funeral Home, Geneseo, with Rev. Donald Stewart, pastor of the Geneseo First Presbyterian church, officiating. Mrs. William Krantz was organist.
Honorary pallbearers were Donald Klavohn, Raymond Green, Victor Orsi, George Kutsunis, Robert Busenbark, F. C. Swan, Denver Haase, William Hanford, Harold Bengtson, Keith Follett, Robert White, Dr. James Parsons, Donald Wiersema and John Achterhof.
The family was all members of the First United Presbyterian church.
Mr. Achterhof was born June 4, 1914, in Morrison, the son of Jacob and Harriet Ostema Achterhof. He was reared and received his education in Morrison.
On August 23, 139, he married Dorothy Gilhooley in Morrison. They moved to Geneseo in 1947 and have resided in Geneseo ever since.
Mr. Achterhof served two terms as Geneseo second ward alderman from 1953 to 1957. He was a charter member of the Geneeo Chamber of Commerce. He served as a past member of the board of directors.
Mrs. Achterhof assisted her husband part-time in the bookkeeping department of their business. She was a member of the United Presbyterian church and was active in the Richmond Hill Players Community Theater, Geneseo. She played the lead roll of Martha Brewster in the player's first show of the season, "Arsenc and Old Lace" which had its final performance June 23.
Mrs. Achterhof, the former Dorothy Marie Gilhooley, was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, March 9, 1916, the daughter of Daniel F. and Emma Kubovec Gilhooley.
Benton was born August 8, 1946, in Morrison, He served a four year tour of duty in the Army medical which included three years service in Germany and one year in Vietnam. he was a student at the University of Illinois.
Kim, born August 11, 1954, in Genese, also a student at the University of Illinois, where he was majoring in business administration. He was an honor student and a member of the university marching band.
Surviving is the couple's son, Gil of Galva; two grandchildren, Mr. Achrerhof's brothers, Bernard, Geneseo and Marvin of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; his three sisters, Mrs. John Wiersema of Morrison, Mrs. Theodore Salminen of St. Paul, Minnesota and Mrs. George Lartz of Savanna and Mrs. Achterhof's sister Mrs. Evelyn Scholfield, Rock Island.
Four members of a Geneseco, Illinois family were killed Thursday afternoon, June 25 when their car was hit by a Burlington Northern freight train at a crossing near Bagley. Dead are the driver, Raymond Achterhof, 60, his wife, Dorothy, 57, and their sons, Benton, 28 and Kim, 19. According to officers at the scene, the widows of the car were closed and the air conditioner apparently running. The engineer said the car was moving slowly but made no apparent effort to stop, The 56 car freight train was traveling at about 43 miles per hour. The impact sent the car 150 feet down the tracks, throwing out three of the occupants. The Achterhofs were staying in a cabin at River of Lakes Resort and were returning there from town when the accident happened on Willow Lane. The one lane crossing is marked with a crossing sign, but no signals. The family was well known in Geneseo where the operated a supermarket. (photo of accident accompanies the article)
Article from the Geneseo Republic, 4 July 1974 reads…
Achterhof family of four killed in car-train crash
Four members of the Ray Achterhof family of Geneseo, who left June 24 for a vacation in Wisconsin, were killed Thursday afternoon June 27, when a freight train struck their car at a crossing at the edge of the village of Bagley, which is located south of Prairie du Chien,
Fatally injured were Raymond "Ray" Achterhof, 60, operator of Ray's Super Valu, Geneseo, his wife, Dorothy, 58, and two son, Benton K., 27, and Kim, 19, of 405 South Geneseo Street , Geneseo.
Previously he operated the A & P store in Cambridge.
The family was on vacation and staying at the River Lake Resort, a mile southeast of Bagley, an area they had returned to for vacations over the last 10 years.
It was determined by Dr. Leo Becker, coroner of Grant County, Wisconsin, that the members of the family were killed immediately when their auto was struck broadside by a Burlington Northern freight train.
The train was northbound, traveling at a speed of 45-50 m.p.h. and the auto, which was crossing the tracks appeared to be traveling 10 m.p.h. There are no signals or lights at the crossing.
The engineer of the train told sheriff's deputies that he saw the auto approach the crossing and sounded a warning whistle. However, Ray Achterhof, the apparent driver, did not see the train or hear the whistle.
The car and its occupants were thrown 50 feet through the air. It bounced along the railroad tracks for another 100 feet and came to rest between two sets of tracks.
Funeral services for the family were held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 30, in the Wright Funeral Home, Geneseo, with Rev. Donald Stewart, pastor of the Geneseo First Presbyterian church, officiating. Mrs. William Krantz was organist.
Honorary pallbearers were Donald Klavohn, Raymond Green, Victor Orsi, George Kutsunis, Robert Busenbark, F. C. Swan, Denver Haase, William Hanford, Harold Bengtson, Keith Follett, Robert White, Dr. James Parsons, Donald Wiersema and John Achterhof.
The family was all members of the First United Presbyterian church.
Mr. Achterhof was born June 4, 1914, in Morrison, the son of Jacob and Harriet Ostema Achterhof. He was reared and received his education in Morrison.
On August 23, 139, he married Dorothy Gilhooley in Morrison. They moved to Geneseo in 1947 and have resided in Geneseo ever since.
Mr. Achterhof served two terms as Geneseo second ward alderman from 1953 to 1957. He was a charter member of the Geneeo Chamber of Commerce. He served as a past member of the board of directors.
Mrs. Achterhof assisted her husband part-time in the bookkeeping department of their business. She was a member of the United Presbyterian church and was active in the Richmond Hill Players Community Theater, Geneseo. She played the lead roll of Martha Brewster in the player's first show of the season, "Arsenc and Old Lace" which had its final performance June 23.
Mrs. Achterhof, the former Dorothy Marie Gilhooley, was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, March 9, 1916, the daughter of Daniel F. and Emma Kubovec Gilhooley.
Benton was born August 8, 1946, in Morrison, He served a four year tour of duty in the Army medical which included three years service in Germany and one year in Vietnam. he was a student at the University of Illinois.
Kim, born August 11, 1954, in Genese, also a student at the University of Illinois, where he was majoring in business administration. He was an honor student and a member of the university marching band.
Surviving is the couple's son, Gil of Galva; two grandchildren, Mr. Achrerhof's brothers, Bernard, Geneseo and Marvin of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; his three sisters, Mrs. John Wiersema of Morrison, Mrs. Theodore Salminen of St. Paul, Minnesota and Mrs. George Lartz of Savanna and Mrs. Achterhof's sister Mrs. Evelyn Scholfield, Rock Island.
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