Married Gail Osborn in 1954.
Died in automobile accident.
Bluffton, Indiana News Banner
Friday, June 03, 1977 - P1C4
Pickups Collide at 218-221; Relatives in Wells
3 of Warren Area Die In Crash; 1 Critical
The town of Warren, barely recouped from other multiple tragedy of recent years, was stunned again today by a collision of two pickup trucks, leaving three area men dead and a Van Buren young man critically injured in a road disaster that also gripped the lives of Wells County relatives.
The spectacular smashup came at 6:30 a.m., 4 ½ miles west of Warren and about 20 miles southwest of Bluffton in Southern Huntington County at the Ind. 218 and old Ind. 221 intersection.
Dead in one pickup, a late model GMC that was overturned in a field by the northwest corner of the intersection were:
--Kenneth D. "Dale" Johnson, 57, of Warren, owner of the vehicle and believed the driver, although authorities could not be positive in the initial investigation.
--John W. Smith, 43, of Warren
--Paul D. "Dean" Wamsley, 43, of Warren Route 3, north of Warren.
In critical condition was Gerald Allen, about 20, of Van Buren, driver of the other pickup, a late model four-wheel-drive roll-bar pickup that wound up just north of 218 on the west edge of 221.
Allen was taken initially to Marion General Hospital and then transferred to Parkview Hospital with critical head injuries and other multiple injuries.
No statement was made initially of the causes of death for the three fatality victims except that they had multiple injuries.
All of the bodies were taken initially to Merckx Funeral Home at Huntington, the establishment of Huntington County coroner, Edward Merckx, but transfer was expected late today to Warren area funeral homes for arrangements.
The three fatally injured men were friends and co-workers who rode together daily to their jobs at Dana Corp. in Marion and were en route there this morning when the tragedy occurred.
Johnson's wife is the former Ruth Sliger of Liberty Twp. in Wells County.
She is a sister of Mrs. Elza (Nina) Blair of Poneto Route 1.
A niece of Mrs. Johnson is Mrs. James (Rose Blair) Harris, teller at the Old-First National Bank.
Smith formerly resided in Liberty Twp. and went to school at Liberty Center. Reported was that a sister works at the Clinic here.
Allen, the critically injured Van Buren man and sole survivor of the accident, was reported to be a son of the Doral Allens and a nephew of Mrs. Galen (Shirley) Shultz of Jackson Twp. in Wells County and Huntington City Police Detective Jay Allen.
Huntington County Police said the Allen vehicle apparently pull from old 221 out into preferential Ind. 218, 3 ½ miles north of Van Buren.
The front of the Allen pickup smashed almost broadside into the left front of the Johnson truck.
None of the persons were thrown out, it was stated. Both vehicles were demolished.
The tragedy gripped Warren and Van Buren areas quickly, with the blow coming in stunning fashion to the victims' families.
Mrs. Johnson has been bookkeeper for the past seven or eight years at Daugherty Farm Equipment Service in Warren, operated by Liberty Twp. Trustee David Daugherty of Liberty Center and his father, Haskell Daugherty of Warren.
David Daugherty said he heard of the accident when coming to work but did not know who was involved.
He drove out that way and was startled to recognize the overturned pickup truck of his bookkeeper's husband.
Mrs. Johnson had arrived at work before learning of the tragedy claiming the life of her husband and his two friends. Mrs. Haskell Daugherty (mother of the Liberty trustee) took Mrs. Johnson home and assisted her.
The Johnsons had no children. He lost an arm in a cornpicker accident several years ago. Mrs. Johnson grew up in the Liberty Twp. area.
Huntington County Sheriff LeMoine Drabenstot, who headed the investigation, assisted by Deputy Sheriff Robert Raver, Warren Town Marshall Glen Felver, the coroner and State Police, said he was told by one source that Johnson did not let others drive his truck, but another source thought he did at times have one of his companions on the daily trip to Marion Dana operate the vehicle.
Smith had several children, one or two are married, according to the initial accounts. Wamsley also left children.
The Huntington County EMS unit assisted at the scene in getting Allen transported for emergency hospital attention.
The Van Buren Fire Department and rescue unit took part in the emergency efforts. There was no blaze reported but firemen and equipment were on hand as standard procedure amid risk from spilled gasoline and other factors.
The age of the critically injured Allen later was stated to be 21.
An attendant at the Warren Standard Station pointed to the truck of one of the fatality victims still parked on the station lot where he regularly left it as the three men took off together for their jobs at Dana in Marion.
(Thanks to David Huffman for OBIT)
Died in automobile accident.
Bluffton, Indiana News Banner
Friday, June 03, 1977 - P1C4
Pickups Collide at 218-221; Relatives in Wells
3 of Warren Area Die In Crash; 1 Critical
The town of Warren, barely recouped from other multiple tragedy of recent years, was stunned again today by a collision of two pickup trucks, leaving three area men dead and a Van Buren young man critically injured in a road disaster that also gripped the lives of Wells County relatives.
The spectacular smashup came at 6:30 a.m., 4 ½ miles west of Warren and about 20 miles southwest of Bluffton in Southern Huntington County at the Ind. 218 and old Ind. 221 intersection.
Dead in one pickup, a late model GMC that was overturned in a field by the northwest corner of the intersection were:
--Kenneth D. "Dale" Johnson, 57, of Warren, owner of the vehicle and believed the driver, although authorities could not be positive in the initial investigation.
--John W. Smith, 43, of Warren
--Paul D. "Dean" Wamsley, 43, of Warren Route 3, north of Warren.
In critical condition was Gerald Allen, about 20, of Van Buren, driver of the other pickup, a late model four-wheel-drive roll-bar pickup that wound up just north of 218 on the west edge of 221.
Allen was taken initially to Marion General Hospital and then transferred to Parkview Hospital with critical head injuries and other multiple injuries.
No statement was made initially of the causes of death for the three fatality victims except that they had multiple injuries.
All of the bodies were taken initially to Merckx Funeral Home at Huntington, the establishment of Huntington County coroner, Edward Merckx, but transfer was expected late today to Warren area funeral homes for arrangements.
The three fatally injured men were friends and co-workers who rode together daily to their jobs at Dana Corp. in Marion and were en route there this morning when the tragedy occurred.
Johnson's wife is the former Ruth Sliger of Liberty Twp. in Wells County.
She is a sister of Mrs. Elza (Nina) Blair of Poneto Route 1.
A niece of Mrs. Johnson is Mrs. James (Rose Blair) Harris, teller at the Old-First National Bank.
Smith formerly resided in Liberty Twp. and went to school at Liberty Center. Reported was that a sister works at the Clinic here.
Allen, the critically injured Van Buren man and sole survivor of the accident, was reported to be a son of the Doral Allens and a nephew of Mrs. Galen (Shirley) Shultz of Jackson Twp. in Wells County and Huntington City Police Detective Jay Allen.
Huntington County Police said the Allen vehicle apparently pull from old 221 out into preferential Ind. 218, 3 ½ miles north of Van Buren.
The front of the Allen pickup smashed almost broadside into the left front of the Johnson truck.
None of the persons were thrown out, it was stated. Both vehicles were demolished.
The tragedy gripped Warren and Van Buren areas quickly, with the blow coming in stunning fashion to the victims' families.
Mrs. Johnson has been bookkeeper for the past seven or eight years at Daugherty Farm Equipment Service in Warren, operated by Liberty Twp. Trustee David Daugherty of Liberty Center and his father, Haskell Daugherty of Warren.
David Daugherty said he heard of the accident when coming to work but did not know who was involved.
He drove out that way and was startled to recognize the overturned pickup truck of his bookkeeper's husband.
Mrs. Johnson had arrived at work before learning of the tragedy claiming the life of her husband and his two friends. Mrs. Haskell Daugherty (mother of the Liberty trustee) took Mrs. Johnson home and assisted her.
The Johnsons had no children. He lost an arm in a cornpicker accident several years ago. Mrs. Johnson grew up in the Liberty Twp. area.
Huntington County Sheriff LeMoine Drabenstot, who headed the investigation, assisted by Deputy Sheriff Robert Raver, Warren Town Marshall Glen Felver, the coroner and State Police, said he was told by one source that Johnson did not let others drive his truck, but another source thought he did at times have one of his companions on the daily trip to Marion Dana operate the vehicle.
Smith had several children, one or two are married, according to the initial accounts. Wamsley also left children.
The Huntington County EMS unit assisted at the scene in getting Allen transported for emergency hospital attention.
The Van Buren Fire Department and rescue unit took part in the emergency efforts. There was no blaze reported but firemen and equipment were on hand as standard procedure amid risk from spilled gasoline and other factors.
The age of the critically injured Allen later was stated to be 21.
An attendant at the Warren Standard Station pointed to the truck of one of the fatality victims still parked on the station lot where he regularly left it as the three men took off together for their jobs at Dana in Marion.
(Thanks to David Huffman for OBIT)
Married Gail Osborn in 1954.
Died in automobile accident.
Bluffton, Indiana News Banner
Friday, June 03, 1977 - P1C4
Pickups Collide at 218-221; Relatives in Wells
3 of Warren Area Die In Crash; 1 Critical
The town of Warren, barely recouped from other multiple tragedy of recent years, was stunned again today by a collision of two pickup trucks, leaving three area men dead and a Van Buren young man critically injured in a road disaster that also gripped the lives of Wells County relatives.
The spectacular smashup came at 6:30 a.m., 4 ½ miles west of Warren and about 20 miles southwest of Bluffton in Southern Huntington County at the Ind. 218 and old Ind. 221 intersection.
Dead in one pickup, a late model GMC that was overturned in a field by the northwest corner of the intersection were:
--Kenneth D. "Dale" Johnson, 57, of Warren, owner of the vehicle and believed the driver, although authorities could not be positive in the initial investigation.
--John W. Smith, 43, of Warren
--Paul D. "Dean" Wamsley, 43, of Warren Route 3, north of Warren.
In critical condition was Gerald Allen, about 20, of Van Buren, driver of the other pickup, a late model four-wheel-drive roll-bar pickup that wound up just north of 218 on the west edge of 221.
Allen was taken initially to Marion General Hospital and then transferred to Parkview Hospital with critical head injuries and other multiple injuries.
No statement was made initially of the causes of death for the three fatality victims except that they had multiple injuries.
All of the bodies were taken initially to Merckx Funeral Home at Huntington, the establishment of Huntington County coroner, Edward Merckx, but transfer was expected late today to Warren area funeral homes for arrangements.
The three fatally injured men were friends and co-workers who rode together daily to their jobs at Dana Corp. in Marion and were en route there this morning when the tragedy occurred.
Johnson's wife is the former Ruth Sliger of Liberty Twp. in Wells County.
She is a sister of Mrs. Elza (Nina) Blair of Poneto Route 1.
A niece of Mrs. Johnson is Mrs. James (Rose Blair) Harris, teller at the Old-First National Bank.
Smith formerly resided in Liberty Twp. and went to school at Liberty Center. Reported was that a sister works at the Clinic here.
Allen, the critically injured Van Buren man and sole survivor of the accident, was reported to be a son of the Doral Allens and a nephew of Mrs. Galen (Shirley) Shultz of Jackson Twp. in Wells County and Huntington City Police Detective Jay Allen.
Huntington County Police said the Allen vehicle apparently pull from old 221 out into preferential Ind. 218, 3 ½ miles north of Van Buren.
The front of the Allen pickup smashed almost broadside into the left front of the Johnson truck.
None of the persons were thrown out, it was stated. Both vehicles were demolished.
The tragedy gripped Warren and Van Buren areas quickly, with the blow coming in stunning fashion to the victims' families.
Mrs. Johnson has been bookkeeper for the past seven or eight years at Daugherty Farm Equipment Service in Warren, operated by Liberty Twp. Trustee David Daugherty of Liberty Center and his father, Haskell Daugherty of Warren.
David Daugherty said he heard of the accident when coming to work but did not know who was involved.
He drove out that way and was startled to recognize the overturned pickup truck of his bookkeeper's husband.
Mrs. Johnson had arrived at work before learning of the tragedy claiming the life of her husband and his two friends. Mrs. Haskell Daugherty (mother of the Liberty trustee) took Mrs. Johnson home and assisted her.
The Johnsons had no children. He lost an arm in a cornpicker accident several years ago. Mrs. Johnson grew up in the Liberty Twp. area.
Huntington County Sheriff LeMoine Drabenstot, who headed the investigation, assisted by Deputy Sheriff Robert Raver, Warren Town Marshall Glen Felver, the coroner and State Police, said he was told by one source that Johnson did not let others drive his truck, but another source thought he did at times have one of his companions on the daily trip to Marion Dana operate the vehicle.
Smith had several children, one or two are married, according to the initial accounts. Wamsley also left children.
The Huntington County EMS unit assisted at the scene in getting Allen transported for emergency hospital attention.
The Van Buren Fire Department and rescue unit took part in the emergency efforts. There was no blaze reported but firemen and equipment were on hand as standard procedure amid risk from spilled gasoline and other factors.
The age of the critically injured Allen later was stated to be 21.
An attendant at the Warren Standard Station pointed to the truck of one of the fatality victims still parked on the station lot where he regularly left it as the three men took off together for their jobs at Dana in Marion.
(Thanks to David Huffman for OBIT)
Died in automobile accident.
Bluffton, Indiana News Banner
Friday, June 03, 1977 - P1C4
Pickups Collide at 218-221; Relatives in Wells
3 of Warren Area Die In Crash; 1 Critical
The town of Warren, barely recouped from other multiple tragedy of recent years, was stunned again today by a collision of two pickup trucks, leaving three area men dead and a Van Buren young man critically injured in a road disaster that also gripped the lives of Wells County relatives.
The spectacular smashup came at 6:30 a.m., 4 ½ miles west of Warren and about 20 miles southwest of Bluffton in Southern Huntington County at the Ind. 218 and old Ind. 221 intersection.
Dead in one pickup, a late model GMC that was overturned in a field by the northwest corner of the intersection were:
--Kenneth D. "Dale" Johnson, 57, of Warren, owner of the vehicle and believed the driver, although authorities could not be positive in the initial investigation.
--John W. Smith, 43, of Warren
--Paul D. "Dean" Wamsley, 43, of Warren Route 3, north of Warren.
In critical condition was Gerald Allen, about 20, of Van Buren, driver of the other pickup, a late model four-wheel-drive roll-bar pickup that wound up just north of 218 on the west edge of 221.
Allen was taken initially to Marion General Hospital and then transferred to Parkview Hospital with critical head injuries and other multiple injuries.
No statement was made initially of the causes of death for the three fatality victims except that they had multiple injuries.
All of the bodies were taken initially to Merckx Funeral Home at Huntington, the establishment of Huntington County coroner, Edward Merckx, but transfer was expected late today to Warren area funeral homes for arrangements.
The three fatally injured men were friends and co-workers who rode together daily to their jobs at Dana Corp. in Marion and were en route there this morning when the tragedy occurred.
Johnson's wife is the former Ruth Sliger of Liberty Twp. in Wells County.
She is a sister of Mrs. Elza (Nina) Blair of Poneto Route 1.
A niece of Mrs. Johnson is Mrs. James (Rose Blair) Harris, teller at the Old-First National Bank.
Smith formerly resided in Liberty Twp. and went to school at Liberty Center. Reported was that a sister works at the Clinic here.
Allen, the critically injured Van Buren man and sole survivor of the accident, was reported to be a son of the Doral Allens and a nephew of Mrs. Galen (Shirley) Shultz of Jackson Twp. in Wells County and Huntington City Police Detective Jay Allen.
Huntington County Police said the Allen vehicle apparently pull from old 221 out into preferential Ind. 218, 3 ½ miles north of Van Buren.
The front of the Allen pickup smashed almost broadside into the left front of the Johnson truck.
None of the persons were thrown out, it was stated. Both vehicles were demolished.
The tragedy gripped Warren and Van Buren areas quickly, with the blow coming in stunning fashion to the victims' families.
Mrs. Johnson has been bookkeeper for the past seven or eight years at Daugherty Farm Equipment Service in Warren, operated by Liberty Twp. Trustee David Daugherty of Liberty Center and his father, Haskell Daugherty of Warren.
David Daugherty said he heard of the accident when coming to work but did not know who was involved.
He drove out that way and was startled to recognize the overturned pickup truck of his bookkeeper's husband.
Mrs. Johnson had arrived at work before learning of the tragedy claiming the life of her husband and his two friends. Mrs. Haskell Daugherty (mother of the Liberty trustee) took Mrs. Johnson home and assisted her.
The Johnsons had no children. He lost an arm in a cornpicker accident several years ago. Mrs. Johnson grew up in the Liberty Twp. area.
Huntington County Sheriff LeMoine Drabenstot, who headed the investigation, assisted by Deputy Sheriff Robert Raver, Warren Town Marshall Glen Felver, the coroner and State Police, said he was told by one source that Johnson did not let others drive his truck, but another source thought he did at times have one of his companions on the daily trip to Marion Dana operate the vehicle.
Smith had several children, one or two are married, according to the initial accounts. Wamsley also left children.
The Huntington County EMS unit assisted at the scene in getting Allen transported for emergency hospital attention.
The Van Buren Fire Department and rescue unit took part in the emergency efforts. There was no blaze reported but firemen and equipment were on hand as standard procedure amid risk from spilled gasoline and other factors.
The age of the critically injured Allen later was stated to be 21.
An attendant at the Warren Standard Station pointed to the truck of one of the fatality victims still parked on the station lot where he regularly left it as the three men took off together for their jobs at Dana in Marion.
(Thanks to David Huffman for OBIT)
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