Dyck, Katherine (d. 1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Aug 9 p. 1

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Two Nurses Drown in Korea

ACCIDENT CLAIMS LIVES OF KATHERINE DYCK AND BERTHA KORNELSON

Akron, Pa. (MCC) — Two nurses serving with Mennonite Central Committee in Korea accidentally drowned August 2, according to a cablegram received at Akron. Further details will be reported when they are available.

The nurses are Katherine Dyck of Rosthern, Sask., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob C. Dyck, and Bertha Kornelson of Abbotsford, B. C., daughter of Mrs. Bertha Kornelson. They served in two different hospitals for children in Pusan, Korea.

Miss Dyck began service in Korea in October 1953. Prior to that she was a nurse at Brook Lane Farm at Hagerstown, Md. She studied a year at Canadian Mennonite Bible College at Winnipeg, Man., and had previous nursing experience at Quill Lake (Sask.) Union Hospital and Saskatoon (Sask.) City Hospital. She was a member of the General Conference Mennonite Church at Rosthern.

Miss Kornelson began service with MCC last September. She studied two years at Mennonite Brethren Bible College at Winnipeg. Her nurses training was at Vancouver (B. C.) General Hospital. She took post-graduate study in surgery, and had six years of nursing experience at Abbotsford General Hospital and at Vancouver General Hospital. She was a member of South Poplar Mennonite Brethren Church at Abbotsford.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Aug 16 p. 1, 3

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Heroic Efforts to Save Nurses From Korean Waters Failed

SWEPT FROM ROCK BY OCEAN TIDAL WAVE, TWO SERVICEMEN DROWNED IN RESCUE ATTEMPTS

AKRON, Pa. (MCC) — Funeral and memorial services were planned for two Mennonite Central Committee nurses who lost their lives by drowning the evening of August 2 near their place of service at Pusan, Korea. Two servicemen also perished in the tragedy.

The nurses were Katherine Dyck of Rosthern, Sask., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob G. Dyck, and Bertha Kornelson of Abbotsford, B. C., daughter of Mrs. Bertha Kornelson. Names of the servicemen have not been made known. The nurses served in two different hospitals for children at Pusan.

According to a report from Donald Klippenstein, MCC representative in Korea, the two nurses went to the beach with co-worker nurse Margaret Wiens and two servicemen active in the U. S. Army chapel and interested in orphanage and hospital work.

The group did not swim, but looked at the scenery from the rocks. Margaret Wiens, however, was farther away from the shore while temporarily watching their vehicle, Klippenstein said.

Swept Off by Huge Wave

"Without warning a monstrous wave swept everyone from the rock," his report said. "The men got back to safety but the nurses could not manage to get back to the shore before the next big wave hit them." Giant tidal waves are common in this area and would be particularly treacherous if a storm was brewing at sea.

One of the servicemen jumped into the treacherous water to rescue the nurses but his efforts were futile and he perished, the report said. Apparently Miss Kornelson was seriously injured when the first wave dashed her against the rocks.

Struggled for 1 ½ Hours

The report said Miss Dyck struggled heroically for an hour and a half while onlookers tried to rescue her. The Army military police arrived. They could not launch boats in the churning sea. They threw ropes but the attempts failed to rescue her.

Another wave swept several military police off the rock and one of them drowned, the report said. A helicopter, which might have been used to save her, was not available on such a short notice. Her body was found at 6 a. m. the next morning, August 3, Miss Kornelson's body was recovered at 6 p. m., August 3.

Burial in Canada, Korea

Miss Dyck's body is being returned to Canada for funeral and burial services. Miss Kornelson's previous request was honored that her burial be in Korea should something befall her.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Aug 23 p. 5

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Services in Korea For MCC Nurses

Akron, Pa. (MCC) — Funeral services were conducted Thursday August 9 at Pusan, Korea Presbyterian Church for Katherine Dyck and Bertha Kornelson, Mennonite Central Committee nurses from Canada who lost their lives in a drow2ning accident near Pusan August 2.

Pastor Kim officiated. He was assisted by Rev. James Cornelson and Chaplain W. J. Devoto.

Burial for Miss Kornelson was made in the Australian Presbyterian Cemetery on a hill overlooking the Australian Presbyterian Hospital. Miss Dyck's body is to be flown from Tokyo, Japan, to Canada for burial.

Miss Dyck was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob G. Dyck of Rosthern, Sask., and Miss Kornelson was the daughter of Mrs. Bertha Kornelson of Abbotsford, B. C.

The two nurses, who served in separate hospitals for children in Pusan, drowned when treacherous ocean waves suddenly snatched them from the rocks by the oceanside where they were looking at the scenery. Two servicemen perished while attempting to rescue the nurses.