#1- -Published in The Pilot, January 24, 1923

The body of George Stricklett was found inside an oil tank car standing on a side track down by the river Sunday forenoon by two students from Dana College who were curious enough to get up and look in. they notified Sheriff Mehrens and the body was taken out and brought up to the Campbell undertaking rooms. George had been missing since November 22nd and had evidently climbed into the tank car for something and was overcome by the gas fumes as there is usually some gas left in the bottom of the car. The funeral was held at the home of his mother, Mrs. Edna Gillette at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon, Rev. W. H. Underwood officiating.

George was born in Blair June 16th, 1894, and is survived by his mother, Mrs. Edna Gillette; his father, Turner Stricklett; two brothers, Marion and Floyd Stricklett; and one half brother, Raymond Gillette. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bellows came down from Walthill to attend the funeral services.

# 2 - - from The Tribune, January 25, 1923

MISSING MAN FOUND DEAD IN OIL TANK

Last Sunday afternoon as a party of students from Dana College were out for a walk to the Missouri river bridge, they decided to walk over the string of oil tanks which have been standing on the siding east of the city since November 23. They came to one tank which had the cover removed, and peering down into the tank were greatly surprised to see the body of a dead man. They at once gave the alarm and soon a crowd containing county officials and a undertaker arrived and took the body from the tank and found it to be that of George Stricklett, who had been missing from his home in Blair since a week before Thanksgiving.

On account of a statement in the state papers that the Dana College students found the tank closed, the father of the young man, Turner Stricklett, thought that an inquest should be held, but the students signed an affidavit that the cap was not on the tank when they reached it.

This did away with the possibility that the boy had been placed in the tank and the cover put on. The daily papers were wrong in the statement.

George Stricklett was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Turner Stricklett (the mother having remarried and is now Mrs. Edna Gillette), who with two brothers, Marion and Floyd, and a half—brother, Ray Gillette, survive. A large number of other relatives also reside in Blair. George was born in Blair, July 16, 1894, and had always resided here.

How George came to be isn the tank is a question that will probably never be satisfactorily answered. The sympathy of many friends is extended to the sorrowing relatives.

#3- - 25 Jan., 1923 - The Enterprise - George Stricklett

MISSING BLAIR YOUTH FOUND DEAD

After he had been missing from his home for two months, the body of George Stricklett, 25, was discovered in an empty tank car here today.

The discovery was made by a body of college students, one of whom opened the lid of the car and saw the body inside. Police were notified and the body was removed.

Young Stricklett is believed to have fallen into the car during a fit of mental aberration and to have been asphyxiated.

Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Turner Stricklett, he is survived by two brothers, Marion and Floyd Stricklett, both of Blair.

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

Find a Grave Memorial #75258444