8th Anniversary of Sandy Hook Elem. School Schooting

 Today is the 8 year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting- December 14, 2012.                                   

 

This post won't be about the actual events of that day, but rather, in memory of those who lost their lives that day (excluding the perpetrator).

 School personnel killed:

Rachel Marie D'Avino (29)- Behavioral Therapist 

Born: 17 Jul 1983 Waterbury, Connecticut

Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery in Watertown, CT, Sect 11-A

Daawn Alyson Hochsprung (47)- Principal 

Born: Dawn Alyson Lafferty

28 Jun 1965 Danbury, CT

Buried: Union Mills Cemetery in Broadalbin, NY

Anne Marie Murphy (52)- Special Education Teacher

Born: Anne Marie McGowan

25 Jul 1960 in Mount Kisco, NY

Buried: Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Somers, NY

Lauren Gabrielle Rousseau (30)- Teacher

Born: 08 Jun 1982 in Danbury, CT.

Buried: Cremated

Mary Joy Sherlach (56)- School Psychologist 

Born: Mary Joy Greene

11 Feb 1956 in Endicott, NY

Buried: Cremated

Mary Joy was the daughter of Jack Ellis Greene (1923-2010) & 

Annetta Corgiat (1928-2004)

Victoria Leigh "Vicki" Soto (27)- Teacher

Born: 04 Nov 1985 in Bridgeport, CT

Buried: Union Cemetery in Stratford, CT

Students killed:

Charlotte Helen Bacon (6)

Born: 22 Feb 2006 Flemington, NJ

Buried: Newtown Village Cemetery 

    in Newtown, Connecticut 

Daniel Gerard Barden (7)

Born: 27 Sep 2005 in Pawling, NY

Buried: Saint Rose Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Olivia Rose Engel (6)

Born: 18 Jul 2006 in Danbury, CT

Buried: Saint Rose Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Josephine Grace Gay (7)

Born: 11 Dec 2005 in Columbia, Maryland

Buried: Saint Rose Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Dylan Christopher "Jack" Hockley (6)

Born: 08 Mar 2006 in Winchester, England

Buried: Cremated

Madeleine Feng "Maddie" Hsu (6)

Born: 10 Jul 2006 in Danbury, CT

Buried: Lakeview Cemetery in Bridgeport, CT

Catherine Violet Hubbard (6)

Born: 08 Jun 2006 in Danbury, CT

Buried: Saint Rose Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Chase Michael Anthony Kowalski (7)

Born: 31 Oct 2005 in Danbury, CT

Buried: Newtown Village Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Jesse McCord Lewis (6)

Born: 30 Jun 2006 in Danbury, CT

Buried: Zoar Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Ana Grace Marquez-Greene (6)

Born: 04 Apr 2006 in Hartford, CT

Buried: Newtown Village Cemetery in Newtown, CT

James Radley Mattioli (6)

Born: 22 Mar 2006 in Bridgeport, CT

Buried: Saint John Cemetery in Darien, CT

Grace Audrey McDonnell (7)

Born: 04 Nov 2005 in Bridgeport, CT

Buried: Cremated 

Emilie Alice Parker (6)

Born: 12 May 2006 in Ogden, Utah

Buried: Evergreen Memorial Park in Ogden, Utah

Jack Armistead Pinto (6)

Born: 06 May 2006 in Danbury, CT

Buried: Newtown Village Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Noah Samuel Pozner (6)

Born: 20 Nov 2006 in Danbury, CT

Buried: B'nai Israel Cemetery in Monroe, CT

Caroline Phoebe "Boo" Previdi (6)

Born: 07 Sep 2006 in Danbury, CT

Buried: Saint Rose Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Jessica Adrienne Rekos (6)

Born: 10 May 2006 in Danbury, CT

Buried: Saint Rose Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Avielle Rose Richman (6)

Born: 17 Oct 2006 in San Diego, California

Buried: Newtown Village Cemetery in Newtown, CT

Benjamin Andrew Wheeler (6)

Born: 12 Sep 2006 in Manhattan, NY

Buried: Newtown Village Cemetery in Newtown, CT.

Allison Noelle Wyatt (6)

Born: 03 Jul 2006 in Norwalk, CT

Buried: Newtown Village Cemetery in Newtown, CT.

A Class Photo: 

Killed, Part 6- A Tragic Mistake

 

Date: 15 Jul 1961

Place: Ventura County, California 

The Story:

35 year old Earl Mason Mendenhall was a deputy sheriff in Ventura County, California. He had been on leave for sometime and was back 3 days when this tragic accident occurred. 

Earl was transporting a mentally ill prisoner to the psychiatric ward of Ventura County General Hospital. 27 year old James Edward Snow had threatened to kill his family- 25 year old wife named Neoma & young son Douglas. Neoma and Douglas were riding in the backseat of the car, which is probably why James was placed in the front seat of the the police car; However, he was not handcuffed. The man apparently started hearing voices, grabbed the wheel from Mendenhall and crashed the vehicle into oncoming traffic. The officer died. Snow, his wife and child all suffered minor injuries. 

The car that the police collided with was driven by 41 year old Stewart Walther. Also in the car were his daughter (15) and another passenger (15). Mendenhall was the only one killed. 

The Victim:

Earl Mason Mendenhall was born on 01 Sep 1925 in Akron, Ohio to 

Image from Findagrave.com

William E. Mendenhall (1894-1960) & Clara L. Jones (1892-1973). 

He had one brother- Howard P. Mendenhall (1928-2006).

Earl married twice. First, to Lota Mae Dixon (1927-2005) on 23 Jun 1944 in Craven County, North Carolina. They had 3 children: David, Daniel and Sue. On 22 Apr 1960, Earl married Barbara Ann Dickey and they had 4 sons: James, William & Robert (Twins), and Richard. Richard was just 2 months old when his father was killed.  

Image & newspaper info:
Ventura County Star-Free Press Newspaper
17 Jul 1961

After Earl's death, his wife/widow received $750 from donations called the "Mendenhall Fund"

Ventura County Star- Free Press
26 Jul 1961

Next, I wanted to see if I could find anything on James Snow, the prisoner. 

Things news articles have told me: 

James Edward Snow, 27 (born about 1934)

Former home- Lebanon, Missouri

Wife- Neoma, age 25 (born about 1936)

Son- Douglas (4 or 5 years old in 1961, born about 1956)

In late July, 1961, Snow was committed to Camarillo State Hospital, court ordered, but I know he escaped and by Dec 1961, he was on the run with his wife and child.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything else on Snow and his family. I feel like both his first and surname are far too common, it would be hard to pinpoint which person it is. 

~Earl Mason Mendenhall (1925-1961) was my 9th cousin, 3x removed.

Killed, Part 5- A Tragic Accident Dayton, Ohio Never Forgot

Date: 04 April 1969

Place: Near New Carlisle, Clark County, Ohio

05 Apr 1969
Dayton Daily News- Dayton, Ohio

My dad is the one who told me about this story. He grew up in Dayton and remembers when this happened- he was a senior in high school and knew some of the kids involved. 

So, four teens from Dayton, Ohio were driving either to or from the lake and at 10 pm, ran off the road and hit a tree. The car was a convertible with no seat belts (1969) and all passengers were ejected from the car and hit trees (the image in my mind is terrifying). Three of the four boys died.

One other thing my dad told me was that his cousin had been asked to go on the trip with these boys but because he didn't have money to chip in for beer, he didn't go! Can you imagine knowing you COULD have been in an accident that killed friends?! How devastating! 

05 Apr 1969
The Journal Herald- Dayton, Ohio

The Victims: 

~Driver- 

Terry A. Wallace 

born: abt 1953

died: 04 April 1969, age 16

Terry was buried in Willowview Cemetery, no picture available

~Passenger-

Paul Stephen Franz

born: 02 Feb 1951, Dayton, Ohio

died: 04 Apr 1969, age 18

Calvary Cemetery- Section 3, Lot 185
Dayton, Ohio

~Passenger- 

Michael Stephan Pietrzak

born: 09 Nov 1951, Ohio

died: 04 Apr 1969, age 17

Calvary Cemetery- Sec 18, Blk X, Lot 196, Space 9
Dayton, Ohio

Passenger- 

Ralph Paul Allen- Only survivor of the accident

born: 01 Nov 1953, Dayton, Ohio

died: 07 Jan 1983, Dayton, Ohio, age 29

Paul was buried in Calvary Cemetery, plot 19x92x4 in Dayton, Ohio

The very sad story with Paul Allen, the only survivor, is that Paul died at the age of 29 by suicide. My dad told me Paul had severe "survivors guilt" and shot himself in the head. 

Truly, a tragic story all-around! 

Killed, Part 4- Five Youth Killed in Car Accident, 1951

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 

05 Nov 1951, Argus-Leader Newspaper
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

 

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.

Parents of James & Grace

James & Graces' oldest sister Bernadine Schwebach died at the young age of 28 of a long illness in 1953-

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.

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. 

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 ♥