IN MEMORY OF LOUIE G. PHILLIPS

Funeral services were held on March 19, 1960 at the Greens Funeral Home in Kirkland, Washington for Louie and Mae Phillips, who lost their lives in a peculiar accident.

Memorial services were also held in Garretson, South Dakota. Thirty-five relatives from Hartford, Sioux Falls, Luverne, Wentworth, Valley Springs, Sherman and Garretson were present.

The Phillips were on a ferry boat with their car, crossing from Anacortes to the island of Guemes, where they had their home, when the car plunged off the ferry and into the channel. The car sank and both were drowned. Authorities could not agree as to why the auto plunged through a cable on the boat into the water about 60 feet from shore. The ignition was off. Witnesses said the 1953 auto floated on the water about two minutes before sinking to the bottom of the 35 foot channel. A man attempted to swim to the car but the icy water prevented the attempted rescue.

He told authorities the Phillips were shouting and waving out the windows of the vehicle as it floated about 50 feet before filling with water and sinking. He said the elderly couple made no attempt to climb out of the auto, assuming that they could not swim.

Three skindivers called to the scene pulled the victims from the water within a half hour after the mishap. A doctor pronounced the couple dead immediately.

This was the first ferry fatality recorded in the area in 40 years.

Louie Phillips was one of ten children born to and raised by Peder and Lina Phillips on a homestead farm near Valley Springs, South Dakota. He married Mae Cassidy Schmidt, a widow with five young children.

Mr. Phillips was employed at Jordan Millwork while a Sioux Falls, South Dakota resident. Louie continued to work as a carpenter after he and Mae moved to Kirkland, Washington. He was an accomplished cabinet maker.

Louie and Mae were avid hunters.

Louie and Mae retired from to Guemes six months before their tragic end.

Mr. Phillips' survivors include two sisters, Hilda, Garretson, South Dakota, and Ferne, Sioux Falls, and four brothers, Peder, Valley Springs, George, Hartford, South Dakota, and Nead and Reuben, both of Garretson.