King, Richard (1945-1965)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1965 Jul 1 p. 3

Birth date: 1945

Text of obituary:

College Student Dies, Companion Badly Hurt In Silo Accident

Goshen, Ind.—Falling about 70 feet inside a silo southeast of Nappanee on Tuesday morning, June 22, one Goshen College student was killed and another seriously injured.

Richard King, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel B. King of rural Gap, Pa., died almost instantly. Russell Miller, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne W. Miller of Lawrence, S. D., sustained multiple fractures but at last report was recovering.

The two young men, both of whom had just completed their freshman year at the college here, were employed by a New Paris, Ind. firm in construction of the silo at the Herbert Fervida farm.

It was reported that King was attaching bolts to the silo roof, working on a ladder which extended from the center iron scaffolding to the side of the 24-foot wide silo. He either fell from the ladder or the ladder unit gave way, and he plunged more than 70 feet to the bottom.

King struck bracing for the center scaffolding, causing the center pole on which Miller was working at the very top of the structure to give way. Miller grabbed iron bracing at the top of the silo and hung by his hands until he could hang on no longer, then dropped to the dirt floor 80 feet below.

At the bottom, Miller struck a piece of iron bracing which was leaning against one side of the silo. This broke his fall and probably saved his life. His fractures include a broken pelvis, and he is confined to a "circle" electric bed at Elkhart General Hospital.

The body of Richard King was sent to a funeral home at Leola, Pa., and funeral services were to be held in his home community. Besides his parents he leaves three younger sisters.