Wohlgemuth, James (1985-1987)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 31 Dec 1987 p. 3

Birth date: 1927

text of obituary:

Ice Patch Touches Off Chain Reaction

Kansas Chorus Director, Two Others Die in Five-Way Accident

HAVEN, KAN. — Paul Wohlgemuth of Tulsa, Okla., director of the Kansas Mennonite Men's Chorus, and two others died Dec. 28 in a five-vehicle accident on an icy stretch of Kansas highway 96 east of Haven.

Also dead are Wohlgemuth's grandson, James Wohlgemuth, 2, of Tulsa, and Hutchinson Community College basketball star Cornell Bell, 19.

The chain-reaction accident began when a car driven by Wichita television newscaster Sandra Cole went out of control without warning when it hit an ice patch on the otherwise clear road. The car skidded sideways and clipped the front left side of an oncoming semi.

The semi then skidded into the other lane, colliding in turn with the Wohlgemuth car, the Bell car and a car driven by Hesston businessman Mike Achilles, before finally overturning in a ditch.

COLE, ACHILLES and Achilles' son Ryan escaped injury. The truck driver, Brian Ackerson, was treated at a hospital and released.

Two other passengers in the Wohlgemuth car were hospitalized in Wichita. Wohlgemuth's wife, Barbara, was reported in critical condition as of Dec. 29 with head and abdominal injuries, while grandson Timothy, 4, had been upgraded to fair condition.

Authorities said no charges would be filed in the accident. All drivers were apparently proceeding at speeds under the posted limit.

Wohlgemuth, 60, was raised in Fairview, Okla. He studied at Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kan., and Emporia (Kan.) State University, then became the first graduate of the D.M.A. program at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

HE SERVED AS minister of music at the 10th Avenue Baptist Church in Los Angeles and was choral director at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles before joining the faculty at Tabor College in 1961. After 16 years at Tabor, he went to Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, where he was chairman of graduate studies in church music.

Wohlgemuth had served as director of the Kansas Mennonite Men's Chorus since 1973.

He leaves his wife; two sons, Steve of Tulsa and Gary of Wichita; a brother, Carl of Hesston; a stepbrother, Arthur of Elko, Nev.; his father, Ben of Hillsboro; and two grandchildren.

Funeral services were announced for Jan. 2 at the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. Colleagues at Oral Roberts will plan an additional memorial service for him at Tulsa later in January.

The service for James Wohlgemuth was announced for Jan. 1 at the Parkside MB Church, Tulsa. He is survived by his parents, Steve and Helen Wohlgemuth, and two brothers.

Transcribed by Ralph Shetler, Oregon