Hartz, Ira (1898-1961)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1961 Jul 20 p. 3

Birth date: 1898

text of obituary:

Accidents Claim Four Lives In Lancaster County

63-YEAR-OLD FARMER AND THREE CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS

Lancaster, Pa. — Two little children, a 63-year-old farmer and a teen-age Amish youth lost their lives in separate accidents recently in the Lancaster County area.

Ira Hartz, who farms near Elverson, was instantly killed on July 6 when run over by his own tractor. He was a member of the Ebenezer Mennonite church, and funeral services were conducted July 8 at the Conestoga Mennonite Church.

Two-year-old Clair High, son of Clair and Shirley (Weaver) High, of Route 1, Stevens, was killed in a freak accident at their home. The little boy was standing by an open car door when his brother, Dennis, 3, opened the other front door and apparently pushed a button releasing the emergency brake. As the car drifted, the door hit the younger boy and knocked him to the driveway, into the path of the front wheel.

In an accident at Middletown, near Harrisburg, 14-month-old Sylvia Ruth Nissley was killed under the wheels of a truck driven by her father, Clair Nissley. The girl was playing under the truck, unknown to the father, as he started it up.

Funeral services were held at Good's Mennonite Church near Elizabethtown. Mrs. Nissley is the former Ruth Leaman.

On Sunday afternoon, July 2, 16-year-old Daniel Petersheim drowned while he and five companions were swimming in a farm pond. The other youths reported that Daniel dived off a home-made diving board into 10 feet of water, came up and gave a cry for help. Due to his panic they were unable to save him. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Petersheim of Route 4, Lancaster.