Date: 03 Nov 1951, 10:30pm
Place: Dell Rapids, South Dakota
On a cold night in November, 1951, 6 young people were speeding on an icy highway, rushing to get one of their friends back to work where she was training to become a nurse. The driver went around a bend too fast, hit ice, went into a ditch where he hit straight into a telephone pole, knocking the car on it's side. All but the driver were flown from the car! Only one survived.
The Youth:
~James Frank Schwebach (20 years old)- Driver- Killed Instantly
~Grace Marie Schwebach (19 years old)- Passenger- Died 5 hours later
*James & Grace were siblings
~Sylvester William Schwebach (22 years old)- Passenger- Killed Instantly
*Sylvester was a cousin to James & Grace
~Veronica Coomes (19 years old)- Passenger- Killed Instantly
~Mary Grace Coomes (17 years old)- Passenger- Killed Instantly
*Veronica & Mary were sisters
~Owen Nelson (21 years old)- Passenger- Only Survivor
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| 05 Nov 1951, Argus-Leader Newspaper Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
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| 05 Nov 1951, Argus-Leader Newspapers Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
Now, there are SEVERAL articles I could post on here, but I didn't want to flood the post with the same stuff, written differently! But here's a good one circulating about the accident that shows all the victims. I'm not sure what publication it's from:
The Victims in more detail:
Siblings: James & Grace Schwebach
~James Frank Schwebach
born: 09 Jun 1931 South Dakota
died: 03 Nov 1951 Dell Rapids, South Dakota, age 20
~Grace Marie Schwebach
born: 17 Dec 1932 in South Dakota
died: 04 Nov 1951 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, age 19
The Schwebach Family Plot is located in the Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery in Dell Rapids, South Dakota
~~~I learned that this family did not only endure this family tragedy, but others as well!
James & Grace were the children of Michael Schwebach (1894-1979) & Anna Bricher (1899-1935). Michael & Anna had a total of 6 children: Bernadine, George, Vincent, James, Grace and Monica.
Anna died at the young age of 36 of cancer, her youngest wasn't even a year old.
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| Parents of James & Grace |
James & Graces' oldest sister Bernadine Schwebach died at the young age of 28 of a long illness in 1953-
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| Older sister of James & Grace |
James & Graces' older brother Vincent Andrew Schwebach died at the young age of 30 of Hodgkins disease in 1959.
Their brother George Michael Schwebach died at the age of 82 in 2008, married with 7 children- Grace, Jim, Mark, Lee Ann, Emily, Joan, Carol. Three of his children- Vince (1960-2003), John (1968-1968), & Joseph (1968-1968) all died young!
From what I can tell online, the youngest Schwebach sibling, Monica, is still alive.
~Cousin: Sylvester William Schwebach
~Sylvester William Schwebach
born: 15 Feb 1929 Dell Rapids, South Dakota
died: 03 Nov 1951 Dell Rapids, South Dakota, age 22
Sylvester was the son of John Schwebach (1892-1975) & Caroline M. Kottmann (1901-1970). Sylvester had 8 siblings from what I could tell- Cecelia, Rosemary, Ambrose, Linus, John, Barbara Ann, James E (1920-1921) & Daniel D. (1941-1941).
~Sisters: Veronica & Grace Coomes
~Veronica Coomes
born: 12 Jan 1932 South Dakota
died: 03 Nov 1951 Dell Rapids, South Dakota, age 19
~Mary Grace Coomes
born: 19 Dec 1933 South Dakota
died: 03 Nov 1951 Dell Rapids, South Dakota, age 17
Veronica & Mary were the daughters of Felix E. Coomes (1900-1984) & Margaret M. Flanagan (1904-1987). They had two older sisters: Marie & Theresa who died in 2014 & 2015 consecutively. Their two brothers Frank & Edward appear to be still alive.
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| Veronica & Mary are buried in the Saint Joseph Cemetery in Huntimer, South Dakota |
~The One Survivor:
21 year old Owen Nelson was the sole survivor of the accident- having suffered from a brain concussion, a scalp laceration and multiple body abrasions and contusions.
Owen Arthur Nelson lived to be 73 years old.
born: 26 Jan 1930 South Dakota
died: 17 May 2003 in Boise, Idaho, age 73
Buried in the Dry Creek Cemetery in Boise, Idaho.
Owen was one of two children to Arthur Nelson (1887-1969) & Ann E. Collins (1900-1987). I found in his obituary that he had worked for Nick Schwebach & Sons as an electrician. Owen married Lois Hanson in June 1954 and the two had 3 children: Jeanne, Lisa and Gregory.
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| Sorry for the weird sizing issues I'm having today! Obituary 20 May 2003, Argus-Leader Newspaper Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
Despite how tragic this story is, I am so glad that there was at least one survivor and he had a full life!
Take a minute to appreciate those who are still in your life today ♥
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