Rutschman, Peter (1911-1937)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1937 Jun 2 p. 1

Birth date: 1911

text of obituary:

TWO YOUNG MEN MEET DEATH IN FATAL ACCIDENT

The numerous highway tragedies on Decoration day, May 31, reached also into the Mennonite community at Whitewater, Kansas, when Pete and Orrin Rutschman, sons of Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Rutschman, died in an highway accident near Murfreesboro, Tenn., according to word received here Tuesday morning. With the two young men in the wrecked automobile were also Norman Dirks, son of Rev. and Mrs. Jake Dirks of Halstead, and Wm. Eitzen of Minnesota. The accident occurred in a head-on collision with an approaching car.

Since only a tentative, incomplete report of the tragic incident has been received here, details of the cause and full extent of the injuries of the other occupants are still lacking. Mr. Dirks seems to have escaped without injury, while Mr. Eitzen was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The four young men were driving in a comparatively new Buick car when the accident occurred. All were employed by the Le Tourneau Metal Works Co. at Peoria, Ill., and as an evagelistic [sic] quartet were on a tour of several southern states over the weekend and Decoration Day. They had apparently intended to be back at work in Peoria on Tuesday.

According to one report, Mr. Le Tourneau had accompanied the young men and suffered the fracture of both hips. This report, however, could not be verified.

Orrin Rutschman was only recently married, while his brother had contemplated marriage in the near future.

The bodies of both young men are being shipped to the home of their parents at Whitewater, where the funeral will be held next Friday afternoon at the Emmaus Mennonite church.

The brothers had been well known in this community as well as at Whitewater, where they had many friends, who deeply sympathize and grieve with the parents in this experience of great sorrow.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1937 Jun 9 p. 5
The Mennonite obituary: 1937 Jul 27 p. 13