Becker, Roy Franklin (1927-1945)

Revision as of 13:43, 28 September 2009

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 30 Aug 1945 p. 1

Birth date: 1927

text of obituary:

30 Aug 1945 p. 1

EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD YOUTH KILLED
IN FALL DOWN ELEVATOR SHAFT

Word has been received here of the tragic death of Roy Franklin Becker, 18 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Becker of Kansas City, Mo., who was killed in a fall down an elevator shaft in a Kansas City warehouse on August 14.

Funeral services were held at the Sichar Mennonite church of Cordell, Okla., home church of Mr. and Mrs. Becker, on Friday, August 17, Rev. Menno H. Kliewer officiating.

Mrs. Maria Becker, grandmother of Roy Franklin, and her daughter, Miss Honora E. Becker of North Newton attended the funeral. The youth's mother is the former Elizabeth Kliewer of Cordell.

The Beckers have the heartfelt sympathy of their many friend [sic] in the tragic and untimely death of their son.

20 Sep p. 3

ROY BECKER

Roy Franklin Becker, son of A. M. and Elisabeth (Kliewer) Becker, was born March 18, 1927, on a farm northeast of Clinton, Oklahoma.

When he was about nine years old his parents decided to make their home near the little town of Roy in Douglas county, Missouri, where they resided until a few months ago, when they went to Kansas City to make that their home for the present.

After finishing grade school, Roy attended the School of the Ozarks near Hollister, Missouri, where he received spiritual as well as vocational training. He was an earnest young man and realized the seriousness of life, being a lovable and dutiful son and a loving brother, well-liked and respected by those with whom he came in contact.

Having reached his eighteenth birthday he registered for selective service, and while awaiting his call for induction he was employed at the Morwood warehouse in Kansas City. On the morning of August 14, Roy, who had been loading cartons of coffee on the fourth floor of the building, apparently lost his balance as he reached into the shaft for the control cable to stop the freight elevator which he had summoned from the first floor.

A fellow employee who was cutting stensils [sic] on the first floor near the shaft, discovered the body about 8 o'clock at the bottom of the shaft, three feet below the basement level, when he investigated a delay in loading operations.

The elevator had continued on past the fourth floor after Roy apparently missed the control cable, and it stopped at the top of the shaft on the seventh floor. The waist-high guard gate, which automatically raised as the car approaches and lowers after it has passed, was jammed in the up position at the fourth floor entrance.

Roy reached the age of 18 years, 4 months and 27 days. He leaves behind, to mourn his death, his parents, two brothers, James Richard and William Dale; his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Maria Becker of North Newton, Kansas, and many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held, and interment made at the Sichar Mennonite church northeast of Cordell, Oklahoma, on Friday afternoon, August 17, with the Rev. Menno H. Kliewer officiating, assisted by Rev. Noah Unruh.