KENNARD YOUTH STATE’S FIRST ’68 TRAFFIC FATALITY

GARY SCHUMACHER

Gary Allen Schumacher of Kennard was killed in an automobile accident early Monday morning, January 1st. His death is believed to be the first in Nebraska in 1968. He was born Sept. 19, 1949 and is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Schumacher of Kennard, his sister, Mrs. Sandra Carmichael of Philadelphia, and his Grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Mack Cameron of Herman.

Gary was a 1967 graduate of Blair High School and was employed at the Blair Manufacturing Co. plant in Blair. As a youth Gary participated in 4-H and Boy Scout activities and was also a sports enthusiast.

Funeral services will be today, Thursday, Jan. 4, 1968 at 2:00 p.m. at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Kennard. The Rev. Arden Dorn will officiate, and burial will be made in the Kennard Cemetery. The Bendorf Funeral Home will be in charge.

Pallbearers will be Jerry Anderson, Darrell Wiese, Tom Rosenbaum, Dennis Brummer, Gary Cook and Steve Pinneo, all of Kennard.

GARY SCHUMACHER WAS THROWN FROM FAST MOVING CAR

An 18 year old Kennard youth, Gary Schumacher, became Nebraska’s first 1968 traffic victim Monday morning when the car in which he was riding went out of control, rolled over a number of times and threw him out of the vehicle. A companion, Miss Sandy Hancock, of Blair, suffered a broken back in the accident and is confined to the hospital in Blair.

Driver of the car, Daryl Wiese of Kennard, was injured slightly.

According to the facts gathered at the scene of the accident by the Nebraska Safety Patrol, the car was enroute from Blair toward Kennard on the new highway 30 pavement about 2:40 Monday morning. The accident occurred on the west side of the Barry Hill, 2.7 miles from Blair. The driver lost control of the car while going down the hill. It traveled more than 400 feet, apparently out of control, ran across a county road, which approaches from the McCarthy school intersection, flew through the air more than 90 feet , then landed and rolled a considerable distance. The doors and hood were torn off the car and it ended up a total wreck.

The car, a ’62 Pontiac convertible, was said to have had several accessories known to “soup up” the motor for higher performance.

The Blair Rescue Squad was called shortly after the accident had been discovered by a passing motorist and all three of the occupants of the car were taken to Memorial Community Hospital for care.

Schumacher was dead upon arrival at the hospital. Miss Hancock, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry G. Hancock of Blair, was immediately given treatment for a broken back and severe facial cuts.

Wiese was treated for facial cuts and released.

3 Jan., 1968 - Fremont Tribune - Gary Allen Schumacher

G. SCHIMACHER RITES ARE SET

KENNARD - Services for Gary Allen Schumacher, 18, will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Lutheran Church here. Burial will be in Kennard Cemetery.

Rev. Arden Dorn will officiate.

Young Schumacher was born on a farm south of here Sept. 19, 1949. He was graduated last spring from Blair High School and was employed at the Kelly Ryan Mfg. Co. plant at Blair.

He had been enrolled in 4-H Club work as a youngster and was a Boy Scout.

His death was the result of an automobile accident in which he was a passenger with a Kennard boy and a date. The one-car accident occurred on the Blair-Kennard highway early Monday morning.

Survivors include his parents, Mrs. and Mrs. Walter Schumacher, Kennard; a sister, Mrs. Keith (Sandra) Carmichael, Philadelphia, Pa.; and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Mack Cameron, Herman.

Bendorf Funeral Home, Blair, is in charge.

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

Find a Grave Memorial #26513757