Obituary Record

Ola "Ole" Johnson
Died on 7/15/1935
Buried in Kennard Cemetery

#1-Pilot Tribune 18 July 1935

2 KILLED, 3 HURT IN CAR-TRUCK CRASH Believe Third Victim Dying From Injuries

Craig Residents, Former Countians, Crash Head-on Into Truck

Double Funeral To Be In Blair Today

Enroute to Den Show in Omaha Monday, Craig People Hit Truck In Passing Car; Soren Sorensen, 43, and Ole Johnson, 74, Killed

Enroute to the Ak-Sar-Ben den show in Omaha Monday evening, five residents of Craig met sudden tragedy on highway 73 southeast of Blair when their auto crashed head-on into a truck, killing two persons and seriously injuring the other three.

The dead:

Soren Sorensen, 43, Craig rural mail carrier; driver of the auto.

Ole Johnson, 74, Sorensen’s father-in-law.

The injured:

Mrs. Sorensen, 45, not expected to live.

Mr. and Mrs. Ted Slatte, Craig.

Hit Oakland Truck

The crash, which occurred at 6:55 p.m. near the George W. Wilson farm, was caused when Sorensen, traveling at high speed, attempted to pass a car and regain his own side of the road before reaching a truck which was proceeding towards Blair.

The effort failed. The car struck the side of the truck’s rack and was totally demolished. Both Sorensen, who died a few minutes later in Court View hospital, and Johnson, who was killed instantly, had been sitting on the left side of the car and took the full force of the impact with the truck.

Truckers Not Injured

The truck driver, Victor A. Johnson, 50, of Oakland, was not injured in the crash, and his companion, Harry Jonson, also of Oakland, likewise escaped injuries.

Passing autoists were halted, and the four injured persons were rushed to Court View hospital, where Mr. Sorensen died within a few minutes. The bodies of both Sorensen and Johnson were removed to the Bendorf Funeral Home.

Woman May Die

Mrs. Sorensen, suffering from a brain hemorrhage and internal injuries, was placed in the operating room and attending physicians managed to save her from succumbing immediately.

Relatives had her removed to a private hospital in Tekamah Tuesday afternoon when it was learned she was in danger of dying.

A report from Tekamah at noon said that Mrs. Sorensen’s condition was slightly improved, and that she had spent a good night. At noon she had been unconscious for 65 hours. She is at Tekamah General hospital.

Mr. and Mrs. Slatte, ages 30 and 29 respectively, received numerous cuts and bruises, but were able to return to their homes Monday evening.

The truckers from Oakland have been exonerated from all blame in connection with the accident it is announced. No inquest is planned, reports County Attorney Grace Ballard.

Double funeral services for Mr. Sorensen and Mr. Johnson are being conducted this afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Bendorf Funeral Home.

The accident victims are well-known in Washington county, having formerly lived in the Kennard community for some time. They were prominent residents of Craig.

Mr. Sorensen is a son of the late Peter C. Sorensen of Kennard, and is a brother of Les Sorensen, pitcher for the Blair baseball team.

#2-Pilot Tribune 25 July 1935

THRONG AT CRASH VICTIMS’ RITES

Many Friends At Funeral Here For Ole Johnson And Soren Sorensen

A throng of several hundred persons filled the Bendorf Funeral Home, the front porch and over-flowed onto the lawn last Thursday afternoon as services were conducted for Soren C. Sorensen, 45, and his father-in-law, Ole Johnson, 69, both of Craig, who were killed in an auto-truck collision near here July 15.

Rev. J. LaVerne, Jay, Methodist pastor of Tekamah officiated.

Sorensen, who died at Court View hospital here a few minutes after the accident on highway 73 last week, was born north of Arlington January 15, 1890.

Has Many Survivors

He is survived by his wife, Amanda, and a daughter, Mrs. Everett Fowler, and a grandson, all of the Tekamah-Craig vicinity. There are six brothers, Nels, Albert, Ole, Andrew and Lester, of Kennard, and Clarence of Wayne; and two sisters, Mrs. Elmer Lund of Kennard, and Mrs. Carl Lund of St. Paul, Minnesota.

The other victim Mr. Johnson, who was killed instantly in the collision, was born in Malmo, Sweden, December 25,1866. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Soren C. Sorensen of Tekamah, who is still in a critical condition in a hospital there from injuries received in the wreck; and a son, Harry L. Johnson of Kennard. Also surviving are three grandchildren and a great-grandchild. There is a sister in Sweden.

Following the funeral rites burial services were held at the Kennard cemetery. Both men were former residents of that community, and have a host of friends in that region.

#3-News Article, Blair, NE July, 1935

Ole Johnson met instant death in an automobile accident occurring July 15, 1935 near Blair. He was born in Malmo, Sweden, December 25, 1866, and would have been 69 had he lived until next Christmas. Mr. Johnson farmed near Kennard for a long term of years and was well known in that vicinity. A number of years ago he went to make his home with his daughter, Mrs. Soren C. Sorensen, of Craig, and was on his way with Mr. and Mrs. Sorensen to Omaha when the accident happened.

He leaves to mourn him Mrs. Soren C. Sorensen, of Craig and one son, Harry T. Johnson, of Kennard and one sister residing in Sweden.

Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon, July 18th, from the Bendorf Funeral Home with J. LaVerne Jay, of Tekamah officiating and interment was made in the Kennard Cemetery.

Note: Soren is buried in the Kennard Cemetery, Blk 6 Lot 21 Sp 5. Find a Grave # is 26513789.

News Article, Blair, NE July, 1935

Ole Johnson met instant death in an automobile accident occurring July 15, 1935 near Blair. He was born in Malmo, Sweden, December 25, 1866, and would have been 69 had he lived until next Christmas. Mr. Johnson farmed near Kennard for a long term of years and was well known in that vicinity. A number of years ago he went to make his home with his daughter, Mrs. Soren C. Sorensen, of Craig, and was on his way with Mr. and Mrs. Sorensen to Omaha when the accident happened.

He leaves to mourn him Mrs. Soren C. Sorensen, of Craig and one son, Harry T. Johnson, of Kennard and one sister residing in Sweden.

Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon, July 18th, from the Bendorf Funeral Home with J. LaVerne Jay, of Tekamah officiating and interment was made in the Kennard Cemetery.

#3-25 July, 1935 - The Enterprise

OLE JOHNSON

Ole Johnson met instant death in an automobile accident occurring July 15, 1935 near Blair. He was born in Malmo, Sweden December 25, 1866 and would have been 69 had he lived until next Christmas. Mr. Johnson farmed near Kennard for a long term of years, and was well known in that vicinity. A number of years ago he went to make his home with his daughter, Mrs. Soren C. Sorensen of Craig, and was on his way with Mr. and Mrs. Sorensen to Omaha when the accident happened.

He leaves to mourn him Mrs. Soren C Sorensen of Craig and one son, Harry T. Johnson of Kennard and one sister residing in Sweden.

Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon, July 18th from the Bendorf Funeral Home with J. LaVerne Jay of Tekamah officiating, and interment was made in the Kennard cemetery.

Note: Name is spelled Ola on the tombstone. He is buried in Blk 6 Lot 43 Sp 2 in the Kennard Cemetery. Find A Grave # is 26385389.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Printed in the Washington County Pilot-Tribune on 7/18/1935


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