| This long obituary is taken from the collection in the Notebook of Long Obituaries. The original newspaper article can be found in the Blair Library, Genealogy Room.
The exact death date was not given. A search in the Blair Cemetery’s online database yielded the exact death date.
3 newspaper articles
# 1 - - Published in The Enterprise, December 21, 1972
LA VERNE RAHLFS AND SON, RODNEY, SUFFOCATE WHEN “BRIDGED” CORN COLLAPSES IN BIN
(picture) caption: Neighbors and Rescue Squad men frantically pull corn from the bin. Three large holes had been cut along the base by a cutting torch to speed up the removal of the corn.
H. LaVerne Rahlfs, 48-year-old farmer living west of Blair and his son, Rodney, 22, lost their lives Monday noon in a grain bin accident on their farm. The men, buried in shelled corn in the bin, suffocated before rescuers could extricate them from their plight.
The accident took place at the Rahlfs farm six miles west and a mile north of Blair.
On the farm they had a large steel grain bin of about 10,000 bushel capacity. The bin was nearly filled with shelled corn which was this year’s crop. As is the case with all corn this year, it was harvested with a high moisture count.
Because the corn was damp, it was being removed from the bin and run through a drying machine to get it in better shape for storage. A portable dryer belonging to Quentin Quist was being used and Mr. Quist was at the farm helping with the operation.
Mr. Quist left the immediate area of the bin for a few minutes and when he came back, neither of the Rahlfs were around. Thinking that they had possibly gone into the house, Quist inquired and found that they were not there. Further investigation revealed a ladder on the opposite side of the bin leading up to a manhole in the top of the bin. Quentin climbed the ladder and looked inside but could see no one. It was noticed, however, that the surface of the corn had been disturbed.
Recalling that they had been having some trouble getting the corn out of the bottom of the bin and to the conveyor of the dryer, Quentin immediately sensed what had happened and a call went out for help.
The Blair Rescue Squad and nearby neighbors responded. It was determined that the moist corn had “bridged” in the bottom of the bin and when the man climbed in from the top to apparently break it down, the grain broke through and caved in on them. At the time of the accident, the corn in the bin was still 12 to 14 feet deep.
The Rescue Squad, which carries equipment for such emergencies, immediately put into use a cutting torch to cut a large hole in the base of the bin in hopes of getting the corn out fast enough to save the men. While Rescue Squad members and neighbors frantically raked and clawed the grain out through the hole, a tractor with a blade pushed the corn back from the crib.
Two other holes were also cut to speed the process.
Eventually the men were found. LaVerne was in the center of the bin, Rodney was off to one side. Both had died of suffocation.
# 2 - - Enterprise, December 21, 1972
LAVERNE RAHLFS
(veteran)
H. LaVerne Rahlfs was born at Blair March 29, 1924, and had spent his entire life in the Blair area. Born of farm parents, he spent most of his life on the farm and was directing a sizeable operation. He was considered a successful farmer.
He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Herman Rahlfs who are remembered by many in the Blair area. His mother was the former Anna Kuhr and there are a number of relatives of both the Rahlfs and the Kuhrs here.
He was a graduate of Blair High School and shortly after graduation he joined the United States Navy in World War II. He returned from Naval duties at the close of the war and began the operation of the farm which was his home until his death.
He was married to Miss Lola Hansen who is also a native of Washington County and the Blair area.
The couple became the parents of three children: Rodney, who met his death in the tragic accident with his father; Keith and Susan, both of whom are at home.
He is survived by his wife, Lola; his son Keith and daughter Susan; and by a brother and two sisters. The brother is Roy Rahlfs of Blair. The sisters: Mrs. Harold Christensen (Margaret) of Blair and Mrs. Charles Love (Evalina) of California.
Funeral services will be held at the First Lutheran Church in Blair Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock p.m. The Rev. Robert Albers will conduct the service. Burial will be made in the Blair cemetery under the direction of the Campbell Mortuary.
Pallbearers will be Neal Andreasen, Robert Rasmussen, Ray Hansen, Frank Henrichsen, Walter Plugge and Clarence Schreiner.
# 3 - - also from The Enterprise, December 21, 1972
RODNEY RAHLFS
(veteran)
Rodney Alan Rahlfs was born at Omaha July 18, 1950. He had spent his entire life on the family farm and was an able assistant to his father in the operation of the place. He was not married.
He was a graduate of Blair High School.
He had completed his military obligations with the Armed Forces and was a member of the National Guard.
Funeral services will be held with those of his father, on Friday afternoon at the First Lutheran Church and burial will be beside his father in the Blair cemetery. He is survived by his mother, his brother Keith and his sister, Susan.
Pallbearers will be Richard Madsen, Harold Sorensen, Jeffrey Quist, Douglas Nelson, Rodney Jensen and Jeffrey Smith.
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