Burkholder, Verda (1938-1957)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Sep 5 p. 1

Birth date: 1938

text of obituary:

Sisters Killed When Car Is Hit by Train

WERE MEMBERS OF MAPLE LAWN A. M. CHURCH NEAR NAPPANEE, IND.

Goshen, Ind. — A car-train crash at the main crossing of the B. and O. Railroad in Bremen claimed the lives of two teen-age sisters of the Nappanee community Thursday, Aug. 29.

Instantly killed when the speeding passenger train bore down upon their car were Verda Burkholder, 19, and her sister, Edna, 16, daughters of Ervin and iva (Yoder) Burkholder of Route 3, Napanee [sic Nappanee].

Funeral services were arranged for Saturday afternoon at the Maple Lawn Amish Mennonite Church northwest of Nappanee, with Rev. Stephen Yoder and Rev. David Bontrager officiating.

Verda, the older sister, was employed by the Comfo-Sleep Corp. in Wakrusa and her sister was employed as a housekeeper by several Bremen families.

Surviving in addition to the parents are a brother Lyle of Kokomo, six brothers and one sister of the home; and a step-grandmother, Mrs. Lizzie Burkholder of Curryville, Mo.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Sep 26 p. 5

text of obituary:

Services Held For Accident Victim

Nappanee, Ind. — A large number of relatives and friends attended funeral services at the Maple Lawn Amish Mennonite Church near here for Katie Hochstetler, 16, only daughter of Andy C. Hochstetlers who was killed in a head-on auto crash Sept. 14. The parents and five brothers survive, along with the aged grandparents, Jacob and Anna Burknolder, 93 and 94 years of age.

Witnesses said Katie, who was driving the car, waved to friends just before the car collided with one driven by Jerry Stevens, 22, who was also killed. Her 10-year-old brother Marvin was critically injured but is recovering.

The tragic crash occurred in front of the home of Erwin Burkholders, whose two teen-age daughters, Verda and Edna, were instantly killed Aug. 29 when their car was struck by a train in Bremen. They were also members of the Maple Lawn church and close friends of the Hochstetler girl.