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Shirk, Adam M. (d. 1958)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1959 Jan 8 p. 3
Birth date:
text of obituary:
FATALITIES ARE MRS. SUSAN G. WENGER AND ADAM W. SHIRK
Smoketown, Pa. — Death stepped in Saturday evening, Dec. 20, and separated a husband and wife who had celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary Oct. 28. Mrs. Susan G. Wenger was instantly killed and her husband, Samuel Wenger, seriously injured when they were struck by a car as they walked across the street in Willow Street early in the evening.
The Wengers had just delivered Christmas cards to the employees of the Charles Dagen Super Market where they had bought groceries. Then they started across the street to see a new drugstore which recently opened, and were struck by a car driven by a young woman.
The impact knocked the couple to the side of the road, and Mrs. Wenger was instantly killed due to a fractured skull and neck.
She is survived by nine children, 26 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Funeral services were held Dec. 24 at the East Chestnut Street Mennonite church in Lancaster. Burial was made in Milliners Mennonite Cemetery near Lancaster.
Mr. Wenger was admitted to Lancaster General Hospital immediately following the accidents where doctors said he was suffering shock, a possible broken hip and internal injuries. Monday he was transferred by ambulance from the Lancaster Hospital to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia where he will receive further medical aid.
Also killed in a traffic accident last week end was Adam M. Shirk, Route 1, Narvon. He was a passenger in a car driven by LeRoy Newswanger, 18, of the same address. The two men had left their places of employment in Lancaster and drove to Shirk's home to try to trap some thieves who have been stealing gasoline from his farm pump. They had left Shirk's home and the accident occurred near Honey Brook, as the car skidded on the road and hit a pole. Shirk was thrown out on the highway.
The crash awakened the Kenneth Gunzenhauser family and he and his son found the Newswenger [sic Newswanger] young man, dazed and walking on the highway, and Mr. Shirk lying by the telephone pole.
Mr. Shirk, husband of Vera Nolt, and father of three children, was instantly killed. Funeral services were held at the Churchtown Mennonite Church where he was a member. Mr. Newswanger was admitted to the hospital, suffering possible fractures of the skull and shoulders.