Kruger, Ralph (Mrs.) (1875-1941)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1941 Jun 11 p. 1

Birth date: 1875

text of obituary:

Sunday Night's Storm Takes Toll of Life and Property at Whitewater and Sedgwick

EIGHT PERSONS DIED, OTHERS ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED; BUILDINGS DESTROYED

A tornado which swept through a 35-mile path at about 11 o'clock last Sunday night, — after a day of unsettled, stormy weather — took the lives of eight persons in the Sedgwick-Whitewater vicinity and left a long string of farms in ruins and complete desolation. The heaviest property damage and loss of life was at Whitewater, about 18 miles southeast of Newton.

Striking at the Guy Scrivner home there while the family was asleep, the tornado wiped out nearly the whole family: Mrs. Guy Scrivner, 41; Betty Scrivner, 16; Mrs. Ralph Kruger, 66, mother of Mrs. Scrivner; Janet Paulson, 4, visiting in the Scrivner home. Mr. Scrivner, the husband and father, was blown several hundred yards and was also seriously injured.

Among the dead are also Marie Penner, 34, and Myron Thierstein, six months old son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Thierstein Jr.

Miss Penner, who stayed with her brother Otto, was fatally injured when the storm struck the Penner home. She was rushed to the ElDorado hospital, where she died soon afterward.

All of the Thierstein buildings were splintered and completely leveled to the ground. The storm wrenched the six months old baby from its mother's arms.

Describing the great tragedy, Mrs. Thierstein said, "Something struck my hand a hard blow and Myron was snatched from my arms as through [sic] someone more powerful than myself had taken him He was rolled along the ground among flying timbers about 100 yards." The injured baby was brought to the Bethel Hospital, where it died several hours later. Mr. and Mrs. Thierstein were also taken to the hospital, but their other three children, although blown about over the yard, escaped without serious injury.

One man was killed at Sedgwick.

Susan, 16, and Harold Thiessen, 9, children of John Thiessen, were also brought to the Bethel Hospital because of injuries received when the violent storm struck their farm home. The daughter was hut in her back and is reported partially paralyzed.

Other farms where buildings were totally or partially destroyed are those of Louis Claassen, J. J. Regier, John Epp, Jr., and J. L. Regier.

Rescue work during the night was extremely difficult because of the heavy rain, lack of telephone or electric service, and great darkness.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1941 Jun 18 p.1

Further News on Storms Which Struck Over Wide Area June 7 - 9

MANY HOMES AND FARM BUILDINGS DEMOLISHED, SEVERAL ARE FATALLY INJURED

The following reports from exchange newspapers give further details of the damage caused by tornadoes which struck Mennonite settlements in western and central Kansas over the week-end of June 8.

The first tornado struck in western Kansas, in the Montezuma community Saturday morning, June 7. Other communities were struck on the following Sunday and Monday.

. . .

Whitewater, Kans., June 12.

. . .

The first death in the path of the storm was Miss Marie Penner who lived with her brother Otto Penner on the Arnold Zuercher farm. The buildings were razed. Miss Penner was blown some distance and was in a critical condition when found at a hedge row. Mr. Penner was quite badly injured from splinters and shock. They were both taken to the hospital at El Dorado, but Miss Penner died before arrivng and her body was returned to Smith Mortuary at Whitewater. Mr. Penner is recovering.

On the northeast quarter of the same section on which Scrivners are located, was the farm home of C. B. Thierstein, Jr. All buildings were torn to splinters as they were in the center of the storm. The house was being ton down to be rebuilt and the family was living in the garage. The first thought of the parents was to care for their children, Mr. Thierstein taking the older ones and Mrs. Thierstein the infant less than a year old. the child was torn from her arms and was later found in a pile of debris. Its life was ended. The buildings and contents were scattered for a half mile and damage was also done to the growing crop.

. . .

There were not many buildings in the path of the storm north from Alfred Regier home or else the storm lifted, as there was not much damage until near the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gus Scrivner about six miles north east of Whitewater where the storm struck again.

Five persons were killed at the Scrivner home. All the buildings were torn to pieces except one chicken house and one barn to the north and the windmill twisted to a tangle. The bodies of the five victims were scattered in the field east of the house. — Whitewater Independent.