PEDERSEN VICTIM IN TRUCK CRASH

Truck Strikes Loose gravel and Skids Into Bridge Rail

NEBRASKA-IOWA DRIVER 15 YEARS

Oscar Pedersen, well known Blair man, was killed instantly in a truck accident one mile west of Kennard Saturday afternoon. A tank-truck driver for the Nebraska-Iowa Oil Company of Blair, Pedersen was driving one of the company’s farm delivery trucks at the time of the accident. He had been driving for Nebraska-Iowa for 15 years.

The accident occurred about 1:45 pm. Saturday at a point just west of the Kennard cemetery. Pedersen was driving east toward Kennard.

At that place the road crosses a creek valley which is quite low and had been subject to overflow in recent heavy rains. A new coat of gravel had been spread with a windrow in the center of the road. There are two bridges there a short distance apart.

Pedersen had apparently crossed the first bridge and attempted to cross the center gravel pile. In so doing he lost control of his truck. Tire marks showed that the truck had gone into the ditch, had pulled back onto the road, but was again thrown out of control by the gravel and finally crashed into a bridge railing on the second bridge in the narrow valley. The impact spun the truck around, crumpling the cab and sheering off the tank which was partly filled with gasoline. Pedersen was thrown from the cab, landing on his head about 35 feet from where the wreck came to rest. His skull was badly fractured. The wrecked tank-truck did not catch fire.

First to reach the scene of the accident was Albert Swanson who lives on the north side of the road and Donald Kahnk, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Kahnk, who live on the south side of the road. They immediately notified the sheriff’s office at Blair. A large crowd gathered at the accident scene as news spread.

Mr. Pedersen was exceptionally well known over the county, having served hundreds of farmers in the course of his daily business. He was of a cheerful, genial disposition which quickly won friendships and kept them.

Born 48 years ago to Mr. and Mrs. Mogens Pedersen, the early part of his life was spent on a farm south of Blair. Later the family moved to Blair and the deceased was employed at several places of occupation before being associated with the Nebraska-Iowa Oil Company in 1936. He has been a lifetime resident of Blair and immediate vicinity.

He is survived by Mrs. Pedersen, the former Ora Dolan, and a son, Charles, who is attending the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Also surviving is his mother, Mrs. Marie Pedersen, a sister, Mrs. Camilla Biggerstaff of Newcastle, Nebraska and five brothers, Leonard of Kennard, Jack of Chicago, Chris and Gus of Lincoln and Ted of Blair.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, conducted by the Rev. Francis G. Havill with Campbell Mortuary in charge.

Pallbearers were: A. W. Johnson, Clarence Hoppel, William Newkirk and Bernard Thompson of Blair, Floyd Smith of Cozad, Nebraska and Roy Rosenbaum of Kennard.

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

Find a Grave Memorial #117918486