Grieser, Gayle (1935-1948)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1948 Jan 8 p. 1

Birth date: 1935

text of obituary:

Ohio Community Mourns Tragic Death Of Ten Children

FUNERAL SERVICES HELD AT ARCHBOLD FOR VICTIMS OF R. R. CROSSING ACCIDENT

Archbold, Ohio. — The Mennonite community in northwester Ohio was stunned last Sunday afternoon by the tragic railroad crossing accident which claimed the lives of ten farm children in an instant's time. Funeral services for the victims, members of the Lawrence Grieser, Raymond Grieser, and Lyle Osborne families, were to be held here on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Twelve children were riding in the tractor-drawn farm sled when it was struck by a fast westbound New York Central passenger train at a rural crossing about a mile east of here in the early afternoon. The driver of the tractor, Jesse Wyse, stated that he stopped to look for trains but did not see any, and proceeded onto the tracks. He and his 13-year-old son, John, who jumped off the rear of the sled, were not injured. His daughter, Janice, 7, and Shirley Grieser, 9, escaped death but were injured.

Those who died in the crash, as listed by the Fulton county coroner, were the four children of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Grieser, Gayle, 13, and her twin, Charlene, Patricia, 8, and Sharon, 6; four children of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Grieser, Donald, 13, Marlin, 11, Arlene, 10, and Janet, 4; and two daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Osborne, Jean, 12, and Marjorie, 16.

All Archbold schools were to be closed from Monday to Wednesday this week. it was expected that large congregations would attend the final services at Mennonite churches here.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1948 Jan 29 p. 1

text of obituary:

TRAGEDY WHICH CLAIMED LIVES OF 10 CHILDREN RULED ACCIDENTAL

Archbold, Ohio. — An official verdict of “accidental death” was issued by the county coroner here following the inquest into the deaths of 10 children in a bobsled-train crash one mile east of here on Jan. 4.

Among the witnesses at the inquest were Rudolph E. Yoder of Elkhart, Ind., and Leon Grieser of Archbold, who were in a car beside the tracks when the tragedy occurred.

Around 1, 600 persons are estimated to have attended the funeral services at the Central Mennonite church here on Wednesday forenoon, Jan. 7, for the four children of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Grieser. About the same number attended afternoon services at the same church for the four children of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Grieser. Funeral services for the two Osborne girls, members of the Methodist church, were held on Tuesday at the large Evangelical Mennonite (Defenseless) church here.