Obituary Record

Cleo Irene (Leach) Gray
Died on 7/3/1942
Buried in Kennard Cemetery

3 July 1942 Blair Pilot

Blast Kills Ex-Countian

Mrs. John Gray, 26, Former Cleo Leach of Kennard, Dies in Tragedy

Burns received last Wednesday in the explosion of a water heater at a Kimball cottage proved fatal Friday morning to Mrs. John Gray, 26, the former Miss Cleo Gray, 26, the former Miss Cleo Leach of Kennard. Mrs. Gray, whose husband is employed at the Sidney ordance plant, died after five blood transfusions had been administered in a vain attempt to save her life.

The explosion occurred when Joe Brown of Kimball, started to show Mrs. Gray how to light the heater. Mr. Brown and son, William, 16, and Mrs. Gray's three year old son Bobby all were seriously burned in the blast.

Mrs. Gray's young son is in a critical condition at present from face and head burns.

Went to School Here

Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Leach, now of Beebetown, Iowa, Mrs. Gray was born on a farm east of Kennard and attended Sunnyside school before she moved with her family to Ashland 14 years ago. The family moved to Iowa six years ago.

Mrs. Gray is survived by her husband; two children and her parents; four brothers and three sisters. Mrs. Belle Pritchard of Adena, Colorado, formerly of Kennard is her grandmother and D. S. Pritchard of Kennard is a nephew.

Methodist funeral services were held at the Campbell Mortuary in Blair Sunday at 4 p.m., interment following in Kennard cemetery.

#2-9 July, 1942 - The Enterprise - Cleo Irene (Leach) Gray

BURNED TO DEATH IN GAS EXPLOSION

Former Kennard Girl Leaves Husband, Two Small Children

Mrs. John E. Gray, 26, former Kennard girl, met a tragic death on July 2 when she was fatally burned in the explosion of a butane tank. The accident, from which she never regained consciousness, occurred at Kimball, Nebraska where she was making her home.

As Cleo Irene Leach, the deceased was born on a farm east of Kennard on February 2, 1916 to Arthur and Amanda Leach. She was graduated from the Raymond High School in 1938, and also joined the Methodist Church at Raymond in 1932.

The family moved to Iowa in 1933, and there she became the bride of John E. Gray, Onawa, on September 30, 1938. One son, Robert, and daughter, Patricia Ann, together with the husband remain to mourn her death. Other survivors are the parents, four brothers, Eugene of Kansas, Melvin of Lincoln, Orville and Arthur, Jr. of Woodbine, Iowa; and three sisters, Mrs. Opal Massara of Omaha, Mrs. Arline Pointa of Woodbine, Iowa and Dwandean of Woodbine.

Funeral services were held at four o’clock Sunday afternoon from the Campbell Mortuary with Rev. John P. Brooks in charge. Burial was in the Kennard cemetery.

Note: Cleo is buried in Block 5 Lot 16 Space 5 of the Kennard Cemetery per Cemetery records.

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

FindaGrave # 26385227

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