Box, Cleeta (1916-1930)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1930 Jul 23 p. 4

Birth date: 1916

text of obituary:

LOCAL

. . .

— A most distressing tragedy occurred one and one half miles east of Newton last Wednesday evening when the 14 year old Cleeta Box, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Box, gave her life in rescuing her younger brother from their burning home. As far as can be ascertained the fire was caused by the explosion of a kerosene can which the girl had used in starting the fire. After the flames had made considerable progress, Cleeta remembered that her six year old brother was sleeping in one of the adjoining rooms, and in her determination to save him she rushed through the burning kitchen, thus succeeding in bringing him to safety. Through this her clothing caught fire and she was severely burned. She died at the Bethel hospital about three hours later. Mr. Box was helping thresh at the Bernard Regier home at the time of the accident and Mrs. Box was also away.