Griffing, Delores (1923-1953)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Jan 8 p. 1

Birth date: 1923

Two Kansas Teachers Die In Plane Crash

ELDA DUERKSEN, INMAN, ONE OF 27 VICTIMS IN IRELAND TRAGEDY

Among the 27 persons who died in the crash of a British airliner at Belfast, Ireland on Jan. 5 were two Kansas school teachers, Miss Elda J. Duerksen, 26 [sic 28], and Miss Delores Griffing, 30, it was reported by airlines representatives following the tragedy.

Miss Duerksen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Duerksen of Inman, graduated from Bethel College in 1946 and had been teaching at Salina, Kans. She and Miss Griffing, a native of Smith Center, Kans., had gone to Holland last August as exchange teachers under provisions of the Fulbright scholarship fund.

The two young women apparently were on a vacation trip to Belfast in northern Ireland where a brother of Miss Griffing is stationed with the U. S. Army. While making the landing, the twin-engine plane struck a beacon tower about 50 feet off the ground, careened off an airport building and burst into flames when it struck the runway. Only eight passengers escaped, and seven of these were injured.

Miss Duerksen was an honor student while in college here and was active in student organizations. In addition to her parents, she is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Earl Koehn of North Newton, Mrs. Chester Goertz of Hillsboro, and Mrs. Ferd Ediger, who with her husband and child is to sail this month for Japan to take up missionary work.

Miss Duerksen’s body will be flown home for burial.