Beecher Tornado of 1953: June 9-12 Articles

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At least 58 persons died last night as a violent tornado struck the Beecher Metropolitan district. Nine more were reported dead at Columbiaville.

Authorities feared the death toll would reach 100 in the worst disaster of all time in the Flint area. Casualties, many of them critical, ran into the hundreds. No names of any of the dead were available at midnight.

The stricken area in Beecher was placed under martial law at 12:30 a. m. amid reports that looting was going on near the Beecher High school. Flint National Guardsmen moved in to protect homes and property.

Governor Williams made the proclamation of martial law shortly after he arrived here for a personal inspection tour.

All local hospitals still were jammed with injured and their families, although the strain on emergency facilities had been relieved somewhat.

Eight of the dead were known to be at funeral homes, with 21 at the National Guard armory, six at St. Joseph’s hospital, and 23 at Hurley.

Earlier the scene at Hurley had been ghastly, as load after load of the dead and dying were brought to the hospital. Nurses, doctors and volunteers bathed and soothed the injured as they waited their turn in the emergency and operating rooms.

The twister struck first on the Linden road, between Carpenter and Coldwater roads, where two houses were demolished and six persons injured.

“The funnel seemed to be going very slowly,” said John Armstrong, 6392 Hughes. “It must have taken 15 minutes to go two miles.”

His account was confirmed by other eye-witnesses, Cloice Waldon of Chicago avenue, Clarence Wickham, 2202 Brown, and Don Bacon, Linden road

But Beecher residents said the awful winds struck at nearly that same time, sweeping down Coldwater road, across North Saginaw road, beyond Dort highway and away from Flint.

State Police said the tornado passed through Millington, finally expending its force in the little town of Kings Mill in Lapeer county.

The. destruction was unbelievable. Beecher High school was flattened, the North Flint Drive-In a total loss. Homes and businesses fell before the twisting blasts. Hundreds of casualties were reported at Drive-In theater.

Injured residents said at Hurley hospital that the storm struck without warning. Families were in their homes, listening to the radio, reading papers, watching television or eating dinner when the whirlwinds struck.

When the roar of the twister became audible, it was too late to escape.

Ambulances, trucks, station wagons and private cars rushed to the disaster scene, shunting the dead and injured to hospitals, the National Guard armory, the IMA auditorium and funeral homes.

The living were taken first for treatment. The dead continued to arrive far into the night.

Nearly 150 reserve policemen and 200 volunteer firemen joined regular officers at Beecher, where traffic jammed roads for miles.

Lansing was sending 60 more State troopers to the area. Fires raged in the Beecher district untended, and officers had not reached all the demolished homes.

At St. Joseph hospital, Mrs. Elizabeth Croteau, 26, of 1165 W. Kurtz, told how her six-month old baby was snatched from her arms by the wind after the storm had wrecked their home.

The baby was carried 50 feet by the wind, she said, but escaped with bruises. Mrs. Croteau, her husband, Harold, and a daughter, Sherry, six years old, all were treated at St. Joseph.

State Police received reports of looting in damaged homes near the Beecher High school at midnight. National Guardsmen went into the area immediately with orders to shoot if necessary to halt looting.

As authorities sought to sort out and identify the dead, the National Guard Armory was made a collection center. Police fingerprint experts moved in there to start the long task of identification.

Calls went out from all hospitals for all available blood donors and Hurley sent out for 500 ampules of tetanus anti-toxin for the injured.

Fires broke out in two places in the North Flint tornado area at 12:40 a.m. today. A gas station at Coldwater and N. Saginaw was ablaze as firemen arrived. At the same time flames broke out in the McDermott Bakery in the Beecher district

Hampered by lack of electric lights, workers in the disaster area were cheered after midnight by announcement that an appeal had been sent to Michigan cities for floodlights. “They are needed to find bodies that we believe were blown into nearby fields,” a spokesman said.

Beds and blankets were being sought as Ternstedt officials said the new jet plant would be opened to care for the homeless.

Blankets and sheets were sought for use at the IMA auditorium.

Nearly a thousand persons were helping police direct traffic. There was a heavy traffic jam as late as 1:30 a.m.

The tragedy was of the living, perhaps even more than of the dead.

A young student nurse at St. Joseph hospital was accompanying a reporter seeking, indentification of the tragedy’s victims placed in a hastily constructed morgue there.

“This child looks familiar,” she remarked as she stooped to brush the hair back from the face of a boy about 10 years old. “My God! it’s Sammy.” she explained as recognition dawned. It was her cousin.

Just prior to that she had mentioned that she didn’t know where any of her family were.

The sobs and cries of the bereaved wound in and out of jammed corridors at hospitals and other gathering places throughout the halls.

And through it all hurried the living, anxious. . . fearful. . . hopeful.

June 9, 1953

Within minutes after last night’s twister left its trail of death and disaster across the Beecher Metropolitan District north of Flint, local emergency units were galvanized into action.

The Genesee county Red Cross chapter summoned all available volunteers to render first aid relief and arrange emergency shelter for the homeless. It sent out a hurried call for blood donations and Detroit police rushed a case of whole blood here. All off-duty Flint firemen, about 111, plus 330 auxiliary firemen and 60 additional volunteers were rushed to the stricken area to combat the danger of fire from broken gas mains and smoldering ruins. With the firemen went all emergency fire vehicles, including the Civilian defense rescue truck. and portable generator trucks.

City Manager Herman Young alerted all Flint police reserves, who moved into the storm site to aid state police and sheriff’s deputies in patrolling the five-square-mile area and helping with rescue operations.

Some emergency policemen were dispatched to city hospitals in aid in handling the flood of casualties.

The storm dropped primary power lines serving the Flint area and cut water pressure in the North sections of the city. H. O. Self, water department superintendent, said operations were sustained partially by steam generators until an auxiliary power line was put into operation.

Self said that no water mains were ruptured and that the system was back in full pressure operation in 1½ hours.

Electricity in most areas where the storm hit remained off as rain and road conditions hampered emergency repair crews.

June 9, 1953, page 3

Tornadoes ripped into Michigan and Ohio yesterday and flash floods reached disaster proportions in Iowa.

Casualties continued to mount hourly in the storm-stricken areas. An estimated 18 persons were killed and hundreds injured in Southeast Michigan and Southern Ohio.

Three thousand persons fled from a flash flood in Sioux City, Iowa, as streams and rivers in the northwest corner of the state overflowed.

A tabulation of tornado casualties showed nine dead in the Southern Michigan border area and nine in Ohio. One person was missing in Michigan.

The tornado hit first in Southern Michigan. Then it widened out and divided. One twister sped toward the Flint area and the other smashed toward Cleveland. Later, another tornado also hit the Oscoda area. No deaths were reported there.

At Erie, Mich., the National Guard and civil defense agencies set up first aid stations. In Ohio, 100 auxiliary police were rushed to the area 25 miles North of Toledo.

Gov. William S. Beardsley of Iowa also called out the National Guard units to aid flood stricken areas. Three Guard companies went on duty at Sioux City, two at Spencer and one at LeMars. The Mayor of Estervllle, Ia., declared a flood emergency.

The Floyd river at Sioux City hit harder and faster than the devastating Missouri river flood a year ago. Water rose as deep as five feet for a mile along the main thoroughfare. A three hundred block area was inundated.

Officials believed the Floyd river reached its crest before midnight last night and would begin to recede.

The Ohio tornado killed five members of one family at Deshler. At Erie, Walter Lewis died with two small grandchildren; his body was found over theirs, trying to shield them from the storm. A woman was killed north of Toledo when winds slammed her car and a tractor-trailer together. The weather bureau said the twister headed eastward across Lake Erie after striking Michigan.
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Relief units in Saginaw last night prepared to send 26 heavy duty bulldozers and other clearing equipment while Detroit reportedly was sending new police detachments to replace weary local units.

INJURED AT HURLEY HOSPITAL

Beatrice and Lawrence Tobias, 1206 W. Kurtz.
Louis and Virginia Fox, 1242 W. Kurtz.
Harlan and Joyce Ulman, 2274 E. Sherman.
Howard W. Howell.
Olga Smitko.
Susanna Feckik.
Pearl DeCouravel.
Cora, West, Linwood, Mich.
Joanna Burkes.
Louis Balin.
Donna Newberry.
Dalene Fox.
Lawrence Gauthier.
Alexander Sabo.
Carl Phelps.
Dorothy Robinson.
Bonnie Harvey.
Dale Jess.
Pearl and Ann Selkesky. 1155 W. Krutz.
Robert, Frances, Gracie, Judy and Ann Nesh, 1218 W. Frances.
Arthur Harvey, 1161. W. Kurtz.
Mrs. Charles Arland.
Lawrence and Claralle Sova, 1523 W. Industrial.
David Clifford.
Landa Dunning, 1208 Coldwater.
Peter J. Yanyancho.
Clara Atwell, 1278 E. Kurtz.
Kenneth Hart.
Mae Gibbs.
Cleola and Cecil Vaughn.
Jjmmy Bean, 32, no address.
Billy Berdan, 1179 E. Kurtz.
Becky, 6, Dennis, 10, Edith, 14, Sue Ann, 4, Tim, 3, Bissonette.
Dale, 5, Donna, 25, Jan, 4, Cochran, Coldwater.
Barbara, 2, and Michael Deneen, 9, Kurtz.
Alex, Antonio, Felice, Fred, John, Manuel, Martin and Morasio Gatica, Kurtz.
Sharon Hedger, E. Kurtz.
Donald Hillier, 14, Coldwater.
Jimmy Hale, 11, E. Kurtz.
Vicky Lynn Hampton, 3, Coldwater.
Marie Holdorph.
Marie and Patsy Howell, E. Kurtz.
Susan King, 3080 Florine.
Cheryl McKay.
Marilyn Robinson, E. Kurtz.
(boy) Rogers.
Linda Sharp, 4, 1425 Coldwater.
Ronald Sikowski, 7, E. Kurtz..
Edward Utter, 8157 Detroit.
Sandra Yager, 32.
Maria, 17, Annonette, 41, Charles, 3, and Leona Trivillin, 15, 1150 E. Coldwater.
Elvera Hernandez, 28, 1051W. Kurtz.
Mrs. Charles Orland.
Daline Fox.
Peter J. Yanyancho, 1201 E. Kurtz.
Cleola and Cecil Vaughn, 219 W. Kurtz.
Charles Shimel, 5135 Alfred.
William Radabaugh, 5536 Branch.
Judy Nesh, 9 mos. Coldwater.
Kenneth Hart.
Sharon, 9, and Ray Gundry, 37, 817 W. Lorado.
Mae Gibbs, 10.
Larry Gauthier.
Victoria, 34, and Douglas Franklin 2, 2246 Coldwater.
James Fader, 1183 E. Kurtz.
David Clifford.
Clara Atwell, 1278 E. Kurtz.

INJURED AT ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL:

Hilton Blue, 1352 E. Coldwater.
Glen Carver, 6061 Wendy Drive.
Chris, Maxine and Joyce Trevarrow, 4417 E. Coldwater.
Leonard Warren, 1207 Coldwater.
Noveda, Rosalie and Donna Jean Phillips, E. Coldwater.
A. W. and Betty Jane King 2391 W. Coldwater.
Francis Bartoviak, 5388 N. Genesee.
John Byers, 637 Eldridge.
Ted Flore, 921 E. Elms.
B. Cook, 314 S. Dye.
Victor Fite, 5463 Harry.
John Fitch, 514 W. Eldridge.
Elizabeth Shoup, 1374 E. Coldwater.
Mary Gauthier, 1044 E. Cold. water.
Myrel Whaley, 1047 W. Coldwater.
Carl Shank, 4280 Mt. Morris road.
Teresa Skinner, 1172 E. Coldwater.
Albert McKenna, 5262 E. Coldwater.
Alice Blue, 1352 Coldwater.
Michael Borges, 1051 W. Coldwater.
Milton Fizer, no address.
Katherine Mills, no address.

FLINT OSTEOPATHIC HOSPITAL:

Larry Baum, 16, 1037 W. Lewis, fractured clavical.
Max McComb, 1041 E. Kurtz.
Wayne McComb, 7 months, 1041 E. Kurtz.
Thomas Hale, 9, 1037 E. Kurtz.
William Wheeler, 6130 E. Coldwater.
Franklin Wilbur, 2246 E. Coldwater.
Mrs. Peats.
Helen Campen.
Philip Giacitoon.
Linda Vaughan.

McLAREN HOSPITAL:

Rudy Riddle.
Kenneth Riddle, 10.
Don Riddle, 15.
Ardith Riddle, 6.
Charlene Hant, 6.
Judson Hant, 2½.
Veronica. Hant, 10.
Elizabeth Tinker, 5.
Colleen Tinker, 26.
Earl Tinker, 33.
Jimmy Bean, l½.
Donald Bean.
Julia Harmon, 60.
Sidney Russell, 47.
Virginia. Fox.
Keith Fox.
Leroy Holt.
Evelyn Henderson.
Agnes Gillette, 80.
Clarence Young.
Diana Potter.
James Sefernick.
Myrtle Koon.

June 9, 1953 

All victims who lost their lives in the tornado were taken to the Flint Armory on Lewis street. Some were identified, many were not at an early morning hour today.

Those identified follow:
Very Morse, 2382 W. Coldwater.
Roy L. Miles, 5018 Bray.
Myrtle Nighswander, 1406 E. Coldwater.
Carl T. Brooks, 1166 W. Kurtz.
James Depsinski, Spar St., Gaylord.
Mrs. Bean, found in field near Clio and Coldwater.
Lovell J. Hamlin, 2369 W. Coldwater, found behind North Flint Drive-In theater.
Donald E. Mathews, 801 W. Dartmouth.
Charles Platt, 4130 E. Coldwater.
Earl Brink, 1378 E. Kurtz.
Ronnie J. Walters, 1360 E. Kurtz.
Thomas H. Ross, 1213 E. Kurtz.
Other dead and not identified follow:
Woman and baby.
Baby girl.
Three women, one found near Coldwater road.
Boy, found near North Flint Drive-In theater
Child, Gatica-?
Miss. Summers.
Walter Gross Jr., Coldwater road.
Patsy Fender.
Two bodies not identified as man or woman.

June 12, 1953

Will Handle Claims On Property Loss Covered By Insurance

A storm office to handle the property insurance claims of Beecher tornado victims will be opened today in the Center building, 205 N. Saginaw.

L. C. Schlager, branch manager of Underwriters Adjusting company, 810 Citizens Bank building, announced opening of the office.

Schlager estimated that about 95 per cent of the homes in the tornado-stricken area were covered by insurance. With a lesser percentage of owners holding windstorm insurance on their furniture and other possessions.

His company acts as adjustor for many insurance companies
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Schlager said that large number of fatalities and injuries in the storm’s path, claims are and will continue to be slow in coming in. He urged claimants already filing to be patient since nationwide disasters in the past few months have scattered the adjusters usually available.

To facilitate identification of the home sites, ravaged by the twister and later levelled by salvage crews, Schlager urged the victims or their relatives to place house numbers and other means of identification on each plot of ground.

He said outside insurance investigators would soon be in the area and naturally be unfamiliar with streets and former home sites.

Schlager estimated that between 4,000 and 5,000 claims would be processed, with more than 2,500 of these on homes, commercial buildings, trailers and automobiles.

June 12, 1953

Detailed plans to assist tornado victims were voted by the League of Catholic Women at the meeting Wednesday in the League Home.

The wool blankets, bed spreads, towels and wash cloths were voted to the St. Francis of Assisi parishioners who were affected by the disaster. These will be taken to the pastor, Rev: Fr. Henry Birchmier. Thirty-three sheets and 51 pillow cases were taken to Berston Field house from the League home on Tuesday to be used by the homeless stationed there.

Members also discussed future projects, the first being the membership drive with Mrs. Joseph Pruchicki as chairman.

Rooms at the Home are now available for rental for club meetings, card parties, showers and wedding receptions. It was announced with kitchen and dining facilities Available.

Miss Elza Papp, president, conducted the meeting. Refreshments were served. Mrs. Linus Sutter and Mrs. Francis Owens were co-chairmen of arrangements.

A musical silver tea formed the formal opening of the home on Sunday. Past presidents presided at the tea services.

June 12, 1953

Central High school students, teachers, maintenance men and secretaries searched their hearts and pocketbooks yesterday and came up with $688.50 for disaster victims.

Miss Emily Kickhafer, curriculum assistant said that administration building employees had contributed $225. Contributions from only three schools had been received late yesterday, but Miss Kickhafer said the school fund was expected to total in the thousands.

Requests for donations were sent in the school mail on Tuesday, and many contributions probably will not be received before the first of the week, she said.

June 12, 1953

Telephone, Consumers Services Restored On Temporary Basis

Clearing of the demolished Coldwater road area slowed yesterday as volunteer construction workers awaited releases from home owners to carry rubble from private property.

The operation, under the direction of C. M. Bullard, member of the County Disaster committee and County Road commission, is financed by the Board of Supervisors.

Bullard said, however, that all personnel and equipment had been donated, most of it by private companies. He said that work will proceed as soon as releases have been signed.

Consumers Power company and the Bell Telephone company said service to the stricken area has been restored on a temporary basis.

June 12, 1953

Plans to work for rehabilitation of victims of the recent tornado were made by members of Women’s Loyal Progressive club at the meeting Wednesday.

This was held at the home of Mrs. Reinhard Nickels on S. Dixie highway. The business session followed luncheon.

June 12, 1953

Social Security Office Working With Disaster Agencies

Survivors of victims of the tornado disaster were reminded yesterday by C. A. Mattson, manager of the Flint district office of the Social Security administration, that services of the local office are available for immediate processing of social security death claims.

Mattson estimated that ninety per cent of the men victims were covered by the social security program. In addition, one-third or more of the women victims probably had earned social security credits.

The local office is tabulating social security information regarding each disaster victim and will check this data nationally to determine the insured status of tornado victims.

The local office is also working with the disaster agencies and funeral directors to facilitate the filing of claims, to furnish social security information, and to prevent loss of benefits.

If potential claimants are unable to visit the local office at 714 Harrison in person, they are advised to telephone 4-2689 for assistance.

June 12, 1953

Identified dead in Monday night’s tornado reached 119 yesterday, according to the Official list compiled by the Red Cross.

One still is unidentified at Hurley hospital, with the possibility of two other victims at St.Mary’s hospital in Saginaw.

The dead are:

Baird, Mrs. Virginia R., G-5400 Detroit
Ballentine, James H., 1081 E. Kurtz
Bean, Mrs. Rose Agnes, 1st house S. E. corner Coldwater & Clio roads
Berdan, Sharon Katherine, 1179 E. Kurtz
Blight, Wesley J., 2439 W. Coldwater
Bolin, Alececea, 1309 W. Coldwater
Bolin, Terry Lee, 1309 W. Coldwater
Booneville, Verna, 1095 W. Coldwater
Boone, Daniel Jr., 1400 E. Kurtz.
Boone, Jessie Irene, 1400 E. Kurtz
Brink, Carl, 1378 E. Kurtz
Brooks, Carl, 1166 W. Kurtz
Burgess, Lynda Joy, 1139 W. Coldwater
Clifford, David, 2200 W. Coldwater
Coons, Mrs. Jean, 1313 E. Grand Boulevard
Cooper, Elwin, 1175 W. Coldwater
Cramer, Mrs. Dorothy, W. Coldwater
Cramer, Shylen W., W. Coldwater
Crawford, Dale A., 1076 E. Coldwater
Deese, Henry, Route 3, Box 319, Salsbury, N. C.
DeForest, William, 5503 Lewis
Deneen, Marjorie L., 1154 W. Kurtz
Dipzinski, James, Gaylord, Mich.
Eckert, Walter, 1302 W. Kurtz
Fender, Patricia, 2037 W. Coldwater
France, William, G-1177 E. Coldwater
Gatica, Celia, 2328 W. Coldwater
Gatica, John R., 2328 W. Coldwater
Gatica, Mary Anne, 2328 W. Coldwater
Gatica, Sally Ann, 2336 W. Coldwater
Gender, ________Mrs.
Gauthier, Shir1ey Mae, 1044 E. Coldwater
Gensel, Judith, 1128 W. Kurtz
Gensel, Kathleen, 1128 W. Kurtz
Gensel, Kenneth, 1128 W. Kurtz
Gensel. Thomas Jr., 1128 W. Kurtz
Gensel, Mrs. Vanessa O., 1128 W. Kurtz
Ginther, Rayford, 2100 of E. Francis
Goodhand, Andrew, 1233 W. Coldwater
Goodhand, Frederick, 1233 W. Coldwater
Goss, Walter Jr., 1243 W. Coldwater
Hamlin, Lovell J, 2369 W. Coldwater
Hammond, Jo Ann, 1266 Broadway
Hammond, Joseph, 1266 Broadway
Harger, Lorraine, 1229 E. Kurtz
Harger, Shirley, 1229 E. Kurtz
Harmon, Clyde Dennis, 1138 Panama
Harvey, Mrs. Arthur, 1161 Kurtz.
Hedger, Alice, 1229 E. Kurtz
Hedger, Charlotte, 1229 E. Kurtz
Hedger, Katherine A., 1229 E. Kurtz
Hernandez, Carmen, 1057 W. Kurtz
Hill, Kathryn, 1079 W. Kurtz
Hipkins, Mrs. Jennie E., W. Kurtz
Holdorph, Elsie, 1256 E. Coldwater
Holdorph, Phyllis, 1259 E. Coldwater
Hutson, Frances, 1074 W. Kurtz
Hutson, Michael, 1074 W. Kurtz
Hutson, Patricia, 1074 W. Kurtz
Jimmenez, Dianna, 2336 W. Coldwater
Johnson, Carol Ann, 1145 S. Cornell
Kane, Mrs. Charles, 1046 E. Coldwater
Kane, John, 1052 E. Coldwater
Kilgore, Andrea, 1068 Kurtz
Kilgore, Dale Jr., 1000 block W. Kurtz
Kilgore, Danny, 1068 Kurtz
Kilgore, Helen, 1068 Kurtz
Kroska, Helen V., 1117 W. Coldwater
Manych, Mrs. Frances, 1148 W. Kurtz
Mathews, Donald, 801 W. Dartmouth
Miles, Ella Marie, 1400 E. Kurtz
Miles, Roy, 1400 E. Kurtz
Mi1es, Roy Lee, Jr., 1400 E. Kurtz
Moris, George, Coldwater road
Morse, Florence A, 2382 W. Coldwater
Morse, Verne Roy, 2382 W. Co1dwater
Morse, George, Coldwater road
Nighswander, Myrt1e, 1406 E. Coldwater
Oaks, Martha, 5263 E. Coldwater
Parr, Barbara, 1255 E. Kurtz
Parr, Robert, 1255 E. Kurtz
Parr, Robert Sr., 1255 E. Kurtz
Pendergrass, Carol, 1313 W. Coldwater
Pendergrass, Harry, 1313 W. Coldwater
Pfeiffer, Cheryll Ann, (Evelyn) no address
Platt, Charles, 4136 E. Coldwater
Powell, Leona, 1302 E. Kurtz
Quinn, Donna, 1266 W. Kurtz.
Quinn, Joseph, 1266 W. Kurtz
Quinn, Loretta, 1266 W. Kurtz.
Quinn, Carol, 1266 W. Kurtz
Rhodes, Bernice, 1234 E. Kurtz
Robinson, Barbara, 1255 W. Kurtz
Robinson, Lorne, 1255 W. Kurtz.
Ross, Angus, 1213 E. Kurtz
Ross, Thomas, 1213 E. Kurtz
Sekelsky, Paul, 1155 W. Kurtz
Shreve, Diane, 1303 W. Coldwater
Stopps, Glen, 1250 E. Coldwater
Sommers, Royle, (??) no address
Summers, Wayne F., 1349 W. Coldwater
Sunday, Caroline, 202 E. Myrtle
Tuttle, Martha
Tuttle, Barbara, 1190 W. Kurtz
Tuttle, Diana, 1190 W. Kurtz
Tuttle, Hershel, 1190 W. Kurtz
Tuttle, Marjorie, 1190 W. Kurtz
Vaughn, Muriel, 1212 W. Kurtz
Vaughn, Patricia J. 1212 W. Kurtz
Vaughn, Jean 1212 W. Kurtz
Walters, Ronald (Ronald) 1360 E. Kurtz
Willey, Dudley, 1084 W. Kurtz
Willey, Mary Agnes, 1084 W. Kurtz
Worges, Clara, 1149 W. Kurtz
Yazanko, Alma, 1201 W. Kurtz
Yazanko, Dottie, 1201 W. Kurtz
Yazanko, Garry, 1201 W. Kurtz

June 12, 1953

Cash donations to the Red Feather Disaster fund totalled $29,493 late yesterday, in addition to the $l00,000 pledged by General Motors.

But Red Cross workers won’t forget the 71 year-old pensioner who walked to St. Francis school from Mt. Morris to offer his assistance and two dollars to help the tornado victims.

“I can get along without the money,” he insisted, “but maybe someone else can’t.”

He told workers that he was well able to assist with the recovery program, adding that he “wasn’t even breathing hard” after his hike.

June 12, 1953

Name Delegation To Meet With Coordinating Committee On Aid

Flint Association of Home Builders has selected a delegation of four members to meet with the committee co-coordinating on relief and rehabilitation activities for persond made homeless or impoverished by Monday night’s Tornado.

In addition to president Bruce Pollock, members chosen to meet with the committee are E. Raymond Kelly, Enlo Rajala, and A. E. “Pete” Sharp.

The group was selected at the association’s meeting Wednesday night at Hotel Durant during which concentrated aid to the disaster-stricken region was pledged.

During June, July and August. the association will meet the second Wednesday of each month.

June 12, 1953

Sloppy reporting by many out-of-town radio stations and news wire services, giving the impression that the. tornado had struck directly in Flint, caused untold suffering and worry for relatives of Flint families across the country.

Typical of this sensationalism was the headline in the Detroit afternoon newspaper Tuesday, “Flint in Ruins.”

Because of such distortion, many people with relatives here travelled as much as 1,000 miles to check for themselves when they were unable to get telegrams or telephone calls through.

Incidentally, the Old Lady down the street has almost sprained her wrist patting herself on the back for the “first complete report” of the tornado. Probably just too busy. with the storm and everything, to read Tuesday morning’s edition of the News-Advertiser.

Help Requested

Several inquiries as to the whereabouts of Jerry McDaniel have reached the Red Cross here. McDaniel is supposed to have been living in the disaster area, but no record of his address is available.

Give Half

Sixteen members of Local 422, United Furniture Workers of America (Peerless Mattress) voted to give 50 per cent of their $300 treasury funds to the Red Feather Disaster fund.

Experienced Help

The bond of friendship between the United States and Canada was never more explicitly shown than by an incident that went little noticed amidst the tidal wave of generous response to calls for aid following the tornado.

The city of Sarnia, Ont., still recovering from the effects of a similar storm just month, dispatched four of its police officers here to assist in patroling the Beecher ruins.

Knows His Patrons

The Flint post office couldn’t have picked a better man to operate the emergency office set up for patrons of the disaster area. Glen Kinsey, who has carried the route for a long time and knows every one, is the “postmaster” in the N. Saginaw-Harvard street station.

He said one man inquired why he is not getting his mail delivered. “My house is still standing” he said.

“Yes, I know,’ Kinsey replied, “but did you check your mail box? That was blown off and there is no place to put your mail.”

Much mail, for obvious reasons, is not being picked up by the addressee and is piling up. Kinsey said this will be held for a time in an effort to find the next of kin. As a last resort it will be returned to the sender.

Elks Will Help

A mail campaign among members aimed at raising at least $5,000 for tornado relief was launched yesterday by the Welfare committee of Flint Elks Lodge 222.

Co-Chairmen Jim Bolin and Sid Halpern said appeals will be mailed to the lodge’s more than 2,000 members for donations to supplement a contribution from the club’s emergency fund.

Tab For Tips

Patrons of the McKeighan Drug store, 1301 S. Saginaw, are helpping four girls with daily vacation contributions. The girls, three of them employed at the store, are going to New York June 26 for their vacations. Knowing the tipping tab associated with such a venture into the big city, they stationed a quart jar on the store’s counter to receive donations for bellhops, redcaps and waiters during the trip. Latest Count – $32.

Example

Traffic Patrolman Charles “Pete” Raab is making a fine gesture which may become a popular fad here within the next few days.

“I have eight hours overtime coming this pay,” Pete said, “and it’s going into the fund for the victims of the tornado. I hope a lot of guys realize how lucky they are and follow along,” .

Need Met A Record

293 pints of blood were donated Wednesday at the YMCA. Another 255 pints were collected Tuesday in Davison. and a third special program was held yesterday In Lansing. Red Cross officials report that all immediate needs are taken care of, and that there is no’ further need for blood at this time.

Fix Freezers

Hubbard Hardware company received word yesterday from the Amana Freezer company that all Amana freezers damaged in the tornado will be repaired or replaced. In addition, any spoiled in the freezer also will be replaced.

Mailmen Helping

Monday evening’s tornado has had a tremendous effect on the Flint post office, according to Postmaster Osmund W. Kelly. He said personnel is being worked overtime to process and deliver the deluge of mail arriving here from anxious relatives and friends.

Many of the letters are addressed “to the postmaster” asking him to “please let me know immediately.” Kelly said he and his office staff are checking each request for information against the casualty list and answers are being mailed out as rapidly as possible

Word To Brides

Advice for June brides. If you continue to work for wages after you are married, be sure that your social security card shows your married name. The word of caution passed along yesterday by C. A. Mattson, manager of the Social Security branch here. He also advised June high school graduates and undergraduates to obtain social security cards for vacation-time employment, available at the local office 714 Harrison.

June 12, 1953

MSD Graduates Donate $55 To Aid Beecher School

Ruined Beecher High school received $55 yesterday from graduating seniors at the Michigan School for the Deaf to help restore the stricken institution.

Vince Dailey, Beecher principal, accepted the gift from Bruce R. Siders, MSD superintendent.

The ceremony was the high point. in graduation exercises for the 40 MSD seniors. Thomas H. Poulos, principal, explained that the graduates had decided on their own to forego the usual senior gift to the school in favor of a cash donation to their sister high.

Richard Nicolai is the senior class president.

Speaking at the commencement, held in the gymnasium, was Paul H. Voelker, newly named director of special education for the Detroit Public schools. Siders presented diplomas and certificates.

Brown Hubbard Memorial awards, presented by Poulos were given to Delcie McNall and Lyle Anderson, while Michigan Minor communication awards went to Betty McNinch, Joyce Arnold, Alonzo Barbette and Gene Lauer.

June 12, 1953

Old Newsboys Provide Clothes, Toys, Bedding

The Christmas-time beneficence of the Old Newsboys of Flint, which goes under the motto, “Let No Child Be Forgotten,” has been marshaled to assist victims of the tornado.

The Old Newsboys headquarters at 3216 Lapeer, was opened Tuesday to give immediate aid. Members and volunteer workers rushed to get the bui1ding ready to issue emergency clothing supplements and issued appeals for donations.

An avalanche of c1othing of all types poured into the building. The Flint chapter of the Michigan in cleaners and Dyers brought in hundreds of pieces of clothing while the Junior Needlework Guild released its articles for distribution to disaster victims.

Frances E. Salgot, president, and Ray Phipps, assistant secretary and business manager, are in active charge of the relief operation. Both said the Old Newsboys are fully prepared to take care of immediate needs of anyone applying for aid.

Transportation to and from the Lapeer street headquarters is being provided persons without means of travel. A call to the Old Newsboys at 4-3378 will bring a car.

Along with clothing, shoes, sheets and blankets, the organization is distributing toys, books, games and dolls to children of the stricken families. All hospitalized children have been sent books and toys.

The Old Newsboys’ headquarters is open from 8 a. m. to 10 p. m. to administer aid and receive donations of usable items.

Phipps said the relief program will be carried on until “everyone we can help has been taken care of.” He said about 75 families had been given help to yesterday.

CLOTHING CONTRIBUTIONS – Sorting the stacks of clothing being donated for tornado victims through the Old Newsboys association is a big job for Mrs. Charles Crawford, 1020 Woodside and Mrs. Harold Tompkins, 801 Pierson. Toys and books for children also are being distributed. (News-Advertiser photo by Baldwin-Chase).

Stresses Aid Is Gift, Not A Loan

Fred W. Ayer, director of information for the Red Cross Disaster service, said yesterday that rumors had been circulating to the effect that the Red Cross requires repayment of all money advanced to disaster victims.

“This is not true,” Ayer said. “These are not loans, but outright grants, given to these people by the Red Cross as a gift of the American people.”

He urged all tornado victims to register with the Red Cross at St. Francis school for information concerning disaster aid.

June 12, 1953

J. T. Sharpensteen, county road engineer, announced yesterday that Richfield Park will be closed for at least a week while damage caused by Monday’s tornado is repaired.

Sharpenateen said the public will be kept off the park grounds because of the fire hazard from fallen trees and the dangerous condition of a large shelter crushed by a felled tree. The roof of the caretaker’s home was ripped away by the wind.

Damage caused to the park area was estimated by Sharpensteen at between $60,000 and $100,000.

June 12, 1953

A request for aid from Under-sheriff Don Carmichael to Ferris E. Lucas, St. Clair county sheriff and president of the Michigan Sheriff’s Association brought a promise of 20 deputies each day to help out here during the rehabilitation of the tornado disaster area.

The first 20 men came here Wednesday from Wayne, Oakland, Kent, Macomb, Montcalm, Gratiot, St. Clair, Saginaw and Bay counties. Other counties in the state will send deputies as they are needed, Lucas promised.

June 12, 1953

Swamped At First, Red Cross Slowly Catching Up Now

Direct callers from Washington, Chicago and Detroit have 1ost their angry hum at the Red Cross chapter house here.
Mrs. Gwen Freeland, tele-communications supervisor for the Detroit Red Cross, said 6,000 telegrams of inquiry have been received here since Monday night, often coming in at the rate of 200 each hour.

We are about 1,000 behind in our answers, she said, “but messages have slowed to 20 an hour and were’re catching up.

Three teletype machines have been brought in to receive the cables, three others reply as soon as information can be secured from the casualty files.

Volunteer teletype operators from Chevrolet and Buick manned the machines.

June 12, 1953

Staffed by volunteer Red Cross nurses, McLaren General Hospital has opened the last wing of its sixth floor to ease the Hospital bed shortage.

Seventeen casualties from the Beecher tornado now are being cared for at McLaren, 13 being transferred there in the past two days from Hurley and Flint General hospitals.

Red Cross nurses recruited to open the additional beds at McLaren were taken from areas as far away as Lansing. Six additional nursing volunteers from Detroit arrived yesterday to work for a minimum of two weeks.

Patients recently transferred to McLaren from other hospitals include: David, 6, and Marie Holdorph, 14; John, 6, and Rinda Vaughn, 2; Susan. 6, and Annette Worgess, 18 months; Michael, 5, and Barbara Deneen, 4; Donald Hilliar, 14; Mary Jo Bell, 5; Dolores Robinson, 1; and Patricia Howell; and Oscar Brannon.

June 12, 1953
BEECHER NEWS . . .The hearts of Beecher residents are saddened and grieved over the terrible tragedy that occurred in our community Monday evening. We are mourning the loss of relatives, friends and neighbors and any personal news seems too trivial for print.
Mrs. Floyd Smith
Beecher Correspondent

June 12, 1953

Interviewing Task Begins

Program Seeking To Program Seeking To Restore Victims To Homes

Thirty Red Cross and local agency case worker’s yesterday settled down to the mountainous task of rehabilitating families and restoring homes leveled in Monday’s tornado.
Robert Edson, Red Cross director of disaster relief, said more than 100 Individuals and families already have registered at the emergency center in St. Francis of Assisi school.

Edson, who arrived here Wednesday from Washington, D. C., said hundreds more are expected to register through next week.

Tornado victims left without transportation may arrange rides to and from the center by phoning 56755.

The work of the Red Cross in the disaster is aimed at restoring each family to the standard of living it maintained before the tornado struck. Here is how it will work for two typical families:

Robert T. lived in a four-room frame house on West Coldwater road with his wife and four young children. He was sitting with his family watching television when, as he said. “the whole house: blew in on us.”

His infant daughter was killed, an eight-year old son is not expected live. The rest of the family is hospitalized.

A volunteer case worker visited the family at Hurley hospital yesterday to register them for rehabilitation assistance. She learns that they have lost everything.

Robert T. can go back to work Monday, but his bank account is small and his income barely sufficient for the evErydax everyday needs of his family. He carried no insurance on his home.

“This family can do little to meet the emergency,” the case worker’s report read. “Full rehabilitation assistance recommended.”

Mrs. Imena Handy of St. Louis, Mo., Red Cross case work supervisor, will review the recommendation. With her notations, it will be sent to a local advisory committee, made up of representatives of Red Feather agencies for further study.

From the circumstances and the need, Robert T. probably will be given funds sufficient to pay hospital expense and rebuild and refurnish his home.

Until his wife is able to leave the hospital, his children will be referred by the Red Cross case worker to the Michigan Children’s Aid society or other qualified local agency for care.

Through the Red Cross he will be given food, clothing and shelter until arrangements have been made with a contractor of his choice for rebuilding his home.

The Circumstances were quite different in the case of Sam H. Sam is 24 years old and has a wife and one child. He is a painter and has a relativity high income.

No one in the family was injured seriously, but his home was a total loss.

After registering at the Red Cross center, Sam and his family were sent to the Old Newsboys warehouse on Lapeer road for emergency clothing. They filled out another requisition for enough food to last them while they stayed with Sam’s mother.

The Red Cross worker conferred with Sam, and they decided that he could carry a 20 year $3,000 RFC loan to supplement the $6,000 of insurance which he carried on his home.

He was referred to the RFC headquarters at Northgate school, where arrangements were made for the loan. However, Sam probably will need another $4,000 to replace his home and furnishings.

In addition, he will need a small amount to replace the equipment which he needs for his painting. The Red Cross will furnish both.

Once the grants have been awarded to Robert T. and Sam H., they will visit the Red Cross disaster center once more where plans will be made for acquiring the necessary goods and services to restore their homes, families and businesses.

These plans settled, orders will be given to specific merchants and contracts will be let for the rebuilding of the lost homes.

“Need is the basis of our help,” explained Ralph Gentile, disaster representative of the National Red Cross. “The most urgent cases will be settled most quickly.

“The resources of the individual family are taken into consideration, and verification of the material takes time.

“As expected, there will be sacrifice,” he said, “but if we can help it there will no hardships.”

June 12, 1953

Stole Shirts, Camera From Storm Victim

Flint Officer Finds Inebriated Cops Raiding Icebox

Three Detroit policemen were brought here at 8 p. m. last night to face charges of looting a home wrecked the tornado which leveled parts of Beecher district Monday. The three men, Paul J. Brubaker, 26; Robert A. Friend, 25; and Julian D. Wilson, 27, have been dismissed from the Detroit Police department and placed under arrest. Paul Slack, senior inspector of the Detroit police and head of the vice bureau, said the three made statements admitting participation in looting the home of O. R. Coons 1177 Kurtz.

The three were brought to the office of Prosecutor Chester R. Schwesinger last night for additional questioning. State Police Commissioner Joseph A. Childs sat in on the session, along with other state and Detroit police officials.

Assistant Prosecutor John Wright said following the questioning that the three men will be charged with entering in the daytime with intent to commit a felony. Warrants will be issued early today, he said, and arraignment on the charges in Municipal court was tentatively scheduled for 9 a. m.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and-or $2,500 fine.

The looting was first discovered at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday by an unidentified Flint police officer, State Police Capt. Lawrence Meehan said.

State Police Sgt. Carl Kamhout, of the Grand Haven post, and troopers Wilbur Allison, Gerald Brooks and Harold Weiss, of the White Pigeon post, came upon the trio drinking beer which had been taken from a refrigerator in the devastated home.

Five T-shirts, a dress shirt and a camera were found stuffed inside Brubaker’s jacket. The items were seized and the men ordered out of the area.

Dressed in police uniform shirts and trousers but without hats, guns or gun belts, they identified themselves as members of the Detroit Police department and displayed their badges as proof.

Kamhout made a written report to top State Police officials giving the badge number 409. The report was dispatched to Detroit police Superintendent Edwin Morgan, who traced the badge to Brubaker. Called in for questioning, Brubaker identified his companions.

The three patrolmen were not included in the ore than 200 Detroit policemen who had been assigned to duty here.

Brubaker, Friend and Wilson went off duty at midnight Monday and decided to come to Flint to see the damage here, they said in their statement. They had “four or five beers’ in Brubaker’s apartment, where they went to clean up.

On the way here, they admitted, they stopped at a couple of bars and at take-out places where they bought more beer.

They drank five bottles in the Coons’ home, they said. The Flint officer, in his initial report of the looting, indicated that the three men were inebriated.

June 12, 1953

Basil Burgess Faces Job Of Life

BY BEN BENNETT

Basil C. Burgess yesterday took. the first step on the long road which he and his family must travel back to an altered normalcy.

His face still marked with shock, he learned of the death of his six-year-old daughter, Linda Joy, the serious injuries of his 27-year-old wife, Lillian, and the destruction of his home at, 1139 W. Coldwater.

At noon he shuffled aimlessly through the ruins of the tiny home he had bought just 10 short days before. With him were his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Burgess of Brownsville, Qnt. and his brother, Russell, also of Ontario.

Torn with emotion, he pointed out the few remaining fragments of what had once been a happy household. A few moments before he had seen for the first time the twisted mass of steel that had been his car.

From it he recovered a small amount of money hidden in the glove compartment.

Only once did he release the flood of sorrow dammed within his troubled eyes. “There’s Linda’s bike, “he murmured, then bent over it, sobbing.

Last night he visited his wife at Hurley hospital. Both her legs have been amputated.

At 10 a. m. today he will stand in Lapeer’s Mt. Hope cemetery as Rev. Floyd Compton performs last rites for the daughter who perished before the ruthless winds.

What lies behind Basil Burgess?

He was born 31 years ago in Ontario. “He was a fine boy,” his mother recalls. “He always was such a hard worker.’

Twenty-one years later he married the sweetheart of his high school years, pretty Lillian Stover, and just a year after they had their first child, a son, Arthur.

After serving with the Canadian army during World War II, he returned to his family. Linda was born in 1947, and a year-later, Virginia.

Their youngest child, Bryan, is just nine months old.

On Memorial day the Burgess, family moved to the Beecher district, after living a year in Lapeer. Basil found employment in plant four of the Chevrolet Motor Company. He was going to get insurance for his home this week.

When the tornado struck, he was at work. His wife was taken to Hurley, along with Arthur and Virginia. Bryan was found in the ruins and brought to the Juvenile home.

Linda went to the Armory.

Basil left the plant to find his family and home. He broke down after reaching the area, and was admitted to Flint Genesee hospital, suffering from shock.

He was released Wednesday to stay with a friend, Howard _Congdon of Lapeer. Virginia and Bryan joined him there the same day. Yesterday Arthur was released to be with his father.

What lies in front of Basil Burgess?

After the funeral today, Basil faces the toughest job of his life. But, he will have help, the Red Cross has promised that.

Right now his prayers are with his wife, and for Linda. With the help of his family and friends, the children will have a home. Distant relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel C. Taylor Lapeer probably will have their care for the immediate future,

He and his children have all the clothing and food they need. As for his home . . .

“I liked it here,” he sighed, “this was my home. I’d like to stay.“

June 12, 1953

Churches of the Flint area, particularly those serving the Beecher district disaster area, sadly counted the dead among their members and quickly poured out both sympathy and material help for the living who suffered in Monday night’s catastrophe.

The Beecher Baptist church counted 12 homeless families among its members. Rev. John Cromb. said the church is offering these families food, shelter and other assistance. The church. itself was not damaged..

Rev. Emmett Pope of Mayfair Bible church reported two members killed, seven hospitalized and three families homeless. The church will give financial aid. Many Protestant ministers and Catholic priests worked all Monday night in the storm area, at the hospitals and the morgue in the Armory.

Lt. James Spivey of the Broadway corps and Capt. Walter Tuschhoff from the Men’s social department with Major Russell Crowell of the Salvation Army Citadel, have been directing some 100 volunteer workers in day and night service. It will continue as long as a need exists.

Lt. Col. T. M. Larson, divisional commander from Detroit, was in Flint Wednesday to confer with the officers. They also have been assisted by corps officers from Pontiac, Royal Oak, Saginaw, Bay City and Detroit.

A large tent has been erected at the corner of Saginaw and Coldwater roads where they serve hot coffee and food to the homeless, police and rescue workers. A canteen was on the site a short time after the tornado struck. The hall at 408 Beach street has been offered as shelter for the homeless with 70 cots available as well as kitchen facilities and rest rooms.

A mass funeral for a mother and three children was held yesterday In the North Baptist church with services for a father and three children scheduled this morning. At least five families are homless. Facilities of the Christian education and church buildings, which include separate class rooms, kitchen and wash rooms have been offered for the homeless.

The Tuesday Noon Club of business men who meet at First Presbyterian church contributed $100 for relief work at the final meeting of the season this week. Dr. David E. Molyneaux, pastor, said if there is no community-wide drive for funds, the church will conduct one among its members. Women of the church have been assisting in the work of cooking meals.

Court Street Methodist will have a continuous service of communion, prayer and thanksgiving for those who are safe on Sunday from noon to 4 p. m. All offering. on the altar will be given for rehabilitation work. Anyone who wishes is welcome to attend. The church has offered the facilities of the Lyon hall and kitchen for shelter.

Bishop Russell S. Hubbard of Detroit was at St. Paul.. Episcopal .church Wednesday and several other out of town clergymen have been conferring with the local staff. Mrs. W. W. Clark Jr. RN, who is the parish visitor, has been working at McLaren hospital.

Rev. John Schaich of the Rescue Mission said clothing is available at the Mission, 101 Smith street.

Flint Bible Temple had two casualties in the congregation. Another family, which was homeless, was welcomed in the home of a church couple as soon as the man and wife were able to leave the hospital. The two children were unhurt. The pastor shared his wardrobe with the man who was in need.

First Street Bible church will take special offerings at the 8 a. m. and 7:30 p. m. services on Sunday to aid two families who were storm victims. They had many Sunday school children living in the area. Rev. P. H. Kaday, pastor, said the church facilities have been offered as a shelter.

Women of Central and Oak Park Methodist and First Baptist churches have been cooking and doing other tasks needed to relieve the canteen workers.

June 12, 1953

“Discouraged? Hell No, I’m Not Discouraged.”

That’s Neil Storey talking, the same Neil Storey whose home and garage at 1068 W. Coldwater were smashed to smithereens in the twister.

And the same Neil Storey who, the instant the funnel of death passed over, looked at his wife and child, saw they were alive, and laughed.

“Couldn’t help laughin’. The wife’s face looked like a sandblaster had taken after her.”

Storey figures he’s too lucky to be licked. That’s why fresh, clean lumber has risen on his property. A new garage, first building constructed in the devastated area, will house his plumbing business.

“I’m so lucky,” he says. “Sometimes I get to feelin’ sorry for myself when I look at that house. It was a good house. But then I realize how much better off I am than others.”

And that’s why Storey won’t go to anyone for help.

“The others need it so much worse than I do. I’d feel silly goin’ in there and askin’ them to give me some help.

“Sure, I’m 35, and it’s not so easy startin’ all over. When you’re 35. I’d just gotten to where I could take off fishin’ when I felt like it.

“Fishin’ days are goin’ to be few and far between from now on.”

Storey and his wife first thought they’d move away from the Beecher district.

“But I got to thinkin’. This right here is all I got and I’ll stick with it.” They’ll live in a trailer ’til the new home is built.

How do the neighbors feel about the new garage?

“Well, some man stopped by today and just picked up a piece of lumber and stuck it under his nose. ‘Mmmm,’ he said, ‘that smells good.'”

June 12, 1953

Red Cross Hunting Places Where Families Can Live Together

Growing need for living facilities for families whose homes were destroyed by Monday night’s tornado was told yesterday by Edward R. Kapp, Jr., disaster chairman for the Genesee Red Cross chapter.

Kapp said the people of Flint had responded open-heartedly when the twister struck and left the Beecher area residents homeless, but the need now was not for private homes to house individual members of the families, but semi-permanent dwellings to help restore some semblance of normalcy.

Kapp said of the first 120 families who registered at the disaster headquarters in St. Francis of Assisi school on N. Saginaw road, about one-fourth had requested housing for their entire families.

He estimated that more than 300 similar requests will be forthcoming. Case workers are now getting information from persons presently in the Hospitals as to their housing needs pending release.

Many children of the disaster were taken in by families throughout Flint, but Kapp said the Michigan law is very stringent on housing children for an indefinite period.

The Red Cross will pay rent for families that demonstrate inability to pay. Families left homeless in the tornado were urged to call the Red Cross case work section at disaster headquarters for housing information.

June 12, 1953

Emergency clothing reserves now stored at Berston Field house will be moved today to the Martin school gymnasium, Stafford and East Ruth streets. They will be available there this afternoon.

Beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, the clothing warehouse will be open each day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. according to Durfee L. Day, chairman of the clothing sub committee of the Red Cross Disaster committee.

June 12, 1953

A mass funeral for 16 victims of Monday night’s tornado will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday outside St. Agnes Catholic Church with Most Rev. Joseph R Albers, bishop of Lansing, officiating. Seven priests from other churches in the area will assist. The victims were members of St. Francis of Assisi church.

The list includes:

Five members of the Gensel family, Mrs. Venessa Gensel, 26; Judith Ann, 6, Kathleen Louise, 4, Thomas Richard, 2, and Kenneth Robert, five months. Mrs. Gensel is survived by her husband, Thomas; parents Mr. and Mrs. Coleman Dobosh; sisters, Mrs. Pauline Lyles, Mrs. Helen Vasas, Edith and Pearl Dobosh.

Four members of the Gatica family, Celia, 20; Sally Ann. 4; Mary Ann,3; and John, 2. Mrs. Gatica leaves,. Husband, Pedro; mother Maria Vasquez; three sisters. Mary Ann leaves parents, Mr. and Mrs. Antino Gatica, seven brothers, Martin, Manuel, Felix, Antino, Jr., Victor, Freddie and Johnnie.

Mrs. Mary Agnes Willey, 69. She leaves two sons Elmer and Arthur; daughter, Mrs. Dorothy E. Lundgren.

Shirley Ann Gauthier, 12. She leaves parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Gauthier; four brothers, Lawrence E. Jr., Leo, Kenneth and Ralph; two sisters, Norma and Margaret.

Paul Sekelsky, 38.

Sharon Katherine Berdan, 10. She leaves mother, Audrey Shaff; father, Barrett Berdan; brothers, Charles and William Berdan, Larry Dale Shaff.

Carmen Hernandez, 9. She leaves parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hernandez; sisters, Rita and Irene; brothers, Jesse, Jr., and David.

Walter Junior Goss, 11. He leaves parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Goss; sisters, Carol Lee and Cheryl; brothers, David and Paul.

Diana Jemmenez, 7. She is survived by her father, Jesse Jemmenez and mother Maria Jemmenez.

Funeral services were conducted Wednesday and Thursday for 20 persons who died in Monday’s tornado. Rites will be conducted today and Saturday for other victims.

Services were held Wednesday evening for Alecicea, eight, and Terry Lee Bolin, four, children of Mr. and Mrs. Willis Lee Bolin, 1309 W. Coldwater. Burial was in Kennett, Mo.

Rites .for Mrs. Helen Irene Kilgore, 31, of 1008 E. Kurtz, and her three children; Dale Wesley, 11, Danny Elmer, five, and Andrea Jean, 18 months, were conducted yesterday afternoon at the North Baptist church. Burial was in Sunset Hills. Dale E. Kilgore, husband and father, survives.

Services for Mrs. Muriel L. Vaughn, 29, of 1212 W. Kurtz, and two daughters, Jeanne, nine, and Patricia, eight, were held yesterday in the Brown funeral home. Burial was in Sunset Hills. Winfred Vaughn, husband and father survives.

Lorne M. Robinson, 39, 1255 W. Kurtz, and daughter Barbara, four, were interred yesterday in Grace Lawn cemetery following services at the Brown funeral home. The mother, Dorothy and two sisters, Dolores and Marilyn survive.

Services for mother and son, Mrs. Florence A. Morse, 59, and Vern Roy Morse, 25, both of 2382 Coldwater, were conducted yesterday at the Reigle funeral home. Surviving are: Luther, husband of Mrs. Morse, and six sons, Edward, Luther, Jr., Joseph, Cecil, Frederick and Sidney; daughter, Mrs. Clifford Leach.

Services for the following also were conducted yesterday:

David A. Clifford, three, of 2200 W. Coldwater, at the Algoe-Gundry mortuary. Burial was in Flint Memorial Park. He leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Clifford Jr., and a brother, Michael Steven.

Mrs. Bernice Baker Rhodes, and her daughter, Mrs. Jean Coons, both of Burt, Mich. Burial was in Burt. Survivors are: Mrs. Victor Fite, Flint, and Mrs. Estell Benson, Jackson; William Coons and son, Tommy.

Rayford Paul Ginter, 14, of 2100 W. Francis, from the Mt. Morris Methodist church. Burial in Bad Axe. He leaves: parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul H. Ginter, and sister, Judith Ann.

Mrs. Frances Manych, 1148 W. Kurtz, from Dodds-Dumanois. Burial in Mayville. She leaves two sons, Nick and Paul, and four daughters, Ann, Helen, Agnes and Mrs. Lewis Thorington.

Glen Edward Stoops, 33, 1250 E. Coldwater, from Reigle funeral home. He leaves his wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, Dewain and Rolland.

Mrs. Marjorie Deneen, 31, of 1154 W. Kurtz, from Algoe-Gundry. Burial in Bristol cemetery. She leaves her husband, Leo, daughters, Barbara and Cheryl, and son Michael.

Services will be conducted today for the following victims:

Joseph L. Quinn, 49, of 1266 W. Kurtz, C&O detective, his wife Loretta M., and two daughters, Carol, 17, and Donna, 13, from Brown funeral home at 1 p.m. Burial will be in Flint Memorial Park. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Joan Kreh, and son, Jack.

Robert W. Parr, 34, of 1255 E. Kurtz, daughter, Barbara, 12, and son, Robert Parr Jr., from North Baptist church. Surviving are wife Lucille, and daughter, Dianne.

Mrs. Rose Agnes Bean, 24 of 2467 W. Coldwater; from Dodds-Dumanois at 10 a.m. Burial in Flint Memorial Park. She leaves her husband, Donald, two stepsons, Donald Jr. and Charles, and son, Jimmie.

Verna Nancy Bonneville, 67, of 1095 W. Coldwater, at 3 p.m. from Grace Lawn chapel. She leaves a son, Reginald, and two daughters, Mrs. Vera Kommer and Mrs. Albert Currie.

Carol Ann Johnson, l1, of 3245 W. Pasadena, at 10 a.m. from Miles Martin funeral home, Mt. Morris. She leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Johnson, brother, Ronald, and sister, Donna Jean.

James H. Ballentine, 54, of 1081 E. Kurtz, at 1:30 p.m. from Dodds-Dumanois. Burial in Flint Memorial Park. He leaves his wife, Carrie, and daughter, Mrs. Buford Myers.

Virginia Ruby Baird, 25. of G-5400 Detroit street, at 3:30 p.m., from Reigle funeral home. Burial in Sunset Hills. She leaves her mother, Mrs. Vera Kochelski, father, Leslie Shears, sisters, Mrs. Leota Middleton, Mrs. James Spohn, Mrs. Charles Baird and Vivian Shears, two brothers, Leslie Jr., and James Shears.

Helen V. Kroska, 40, of 1117 W. Coldwater, at 10 a.m. from Sacred Heart church. Burial in New Calvary. She leaves her husband, Albert, two sons, Eugene and Albert William and daughter, Antonia.

Clyde F. Harman, 62, 1138 Panama, at 3:30 p.m. from Mayville Baptist church. Burial In Mayville. He leaves his wife, Julia, four daughters, Wahneta, Jeanette, Mrs. Louise Knickerbocker and Mrs. Marjorie Tuttle, and son, James.

Carol Ann Sunday, 16, of 202 E. .Myrtle, at 9 a.m. from All Saints church. Burial in New Calvary. She leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Sunday, three brothers, Ralph Jr., Eugene and Charles.

Cheryl Ann Pfeiffer, four, of 1150 Lodge avenue, at 10 a.m. from South Baptist church. Burial in Flint Memorial Park.

Wesley J. Blight, 68, of 2439 W. Coldwater, at 1 p.m. from Chappell and Stout funeral home, Clio. He leaves his wife, Edith, and three brothers, Howard. Wilbur and Herbert.

Mrs. Frances L. Hutson, 30; Patricia, 8, Michael, 7. Services at 10 a. m, today from Groves and company. Burial in Flint Memorial Park Mrs. Hutson is survived by her husband, Roy; parents Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Hill; brothers, F1oyd J. Hill, Jr., George and Wilford.

Andrew Goodhand, 39, Frederick W., 15. Services at 3 p. m. today from Groves and company. Burial in Vassar Riverside cemetery. Mr. Goodhand leaves wife, Joyce; daughter, Susan; mother and five sisters.

Mrs. Kathryn Hill, 23. Services at 3:30 p. m. today from Dodds-Dumanois Funeral home. Burial in Grace Lawn cemetery. Surviving are; husband Wilfred J.; daughters, Vickie Ann and Jeanie Ann; mother and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Hezzie Goin; father, Elmer C. Woodard.

Jessie E. Hipkins, 69. Services at 10 a. m. today from Reigle Funeral home. Burial in Grace Lawn cemetery. Surviving are daughters, Mrs. Fred Hipkins and Mrs. Lilia Ross; brother, Fred McLouth; sister, Carol Vielhauer.

Myrtle Nighswander, 64. Burial today at Scottvllle. Surviving are mother, Mary Astra; sisters, Rosie Jones, Emma Kennel, Ethel Young, Crissie Hirner; brothers, George. William, Charley and Robert Payne.

Mrs. Clara B. Worges, 57. Services at l p. m. today from Groves and company. Burial in Flint Memorial park. Surviving are: husband, Charles; daughters, Mrs. Naomi France; Mrs. Nedra Gibson, Mrs. Norma Frechette; sons, Grover, Leo, Bill, Dean, Dallas and Sgt. Earl.

Myrtle Oaks, 59. Services at 1 p. m. today from Algoe-Gundry mortuary. Burial in Grace Lawn cemetery.

Leona Powell, 25. Services at 10 a. m. today in Reigle Funeral home. Burial In Grace Lawn cemetery.

Donald Matthews, 36. Services at 2 p. m. today from Kearsley Park Evangelical United Brethren church. Burial in Davison. Surviving are: wife, Gladys; daughter, Kay; sisters, Mrs. Regina McDowell and Miss Pauline Matthews.

Carl T. Brooks, 47. Services at 1 p. m. today from Reigle Funeral home. Burial in Flint Memorial park.

William DeForiest, 72. Services at 11:30 a. m. today from Groves and company. Burial in Maple Grove cemetery, North Branch. Surviving are: wife, Mabel; daughters, Mrs. John Baker, Mrs. James Bennett, Mrs. Harold Bennett; son, Will DeForiest; brother, Willington DeForiest; sister, Charlotte Mellon.

Services for the following will be conducted Saturday:

Herschel C. Tuttle, 44, of 1100 W. Kurtz, his wife, Martha, 42, and daughters, Barbara, 20, Marjorie, 10, and Diane, two, at 3:30 p. m. from Dodds-Dumanois. Burial in Flint Memorial Park. Surviving are two daughters, Juanita and Mrs. James Hall, and son, John.

Paul Sekelsky, 38, of 1115 W. Kurtz, at 10 a.m. from St. Agnes church. Burial in Flint Memorial Park. He leaves his wife, Ann, and two sons, Paul Joseph and Ronald.

Mrs. Alice Hedger, 40; Katherine, 5 and Charlotte, 3. Services 1 p. m. Saturday from Flint Memorial chapel. Burial at Flint Memorial park. Mrs. Hedger is survived by sons, Richard, Leo, James, and Lindon; daughters, Mary Ellen Smith and Sharon Hedger; parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Mayle; sisters, Mrs. Loretta Davidson, Mrs. Virginia Halleck, Mrs. Alma Moon; brothers, Everett; Kenneth and Robert.

Mrs. Shirley Harger, 23; Lorraine, 10 months. Services 1 p.m. Saturday from Flint Memorial chapel. Burial Flint Memorial park. Mrs. Harger is survived by husband, Rollie; daughter, Linda Ann; brothers, Richard, Leo,
James and Lindon Hedger; sisters. Mary Ellen Smith and Sharon Hedger.
Carl Lavern Brink. 23. Services 2 p.m. Saturday from Groves and company. Burial in Flint Memorial park cemetery. Surviving are; wife, Mona; sons, Carl Jr., David, Richard; mother; Mrs. Zena Brink; sister, Florence Morrison; brothers, Donald and Jim Brink.

Edwin Cooper, 67. Services at 1 p.m. Saturday from Latter Day Saints church, Hamilton avenue. Burial in Flint Memorial. park. Surviving are. Wife, Nora, sons, Lorn, Victor, Carl and Harry; daughters, Emma Mae Vickerman, and Leona Gonyea; sisters, Emma May Huffman, Stella May Ville and Alma Johnson; brothers, Carl and Allen Cooper.

Jessie Vivian Harvey, 49. Services at 1 p.m. Saturday from Reigle Funeral home. Burial in Flint Memorial park. Surviving are husband, Arthur; daughters, Mrs. Shirley Zbyrad, Winona Howey and Bonnie Harvey;. Brothers, Raul, Roy, and Leo Judy.

Patricia Fender, 17. Services 3:30 p.m. Saturday from Reigle Funeral home. Burial in Sunset Hills.

Harry Pendergrass, 29. Services 5 p.m. Saturday from first Baptist church, Mt. Morris.

Dudley E. Willey, 80. Services l0 a.m. Saturday from Dodds-Dumanois Funeral home. Burial in Sunset Hills. Surviving are sons, Elmer and Arthur; daughter, Mrs. Dorothy E. Lundgren.

Lovell J. Hamlin, 49. Services at 3 p.m. Saturday from Groves and company. Burial in Mt. Hope cemetery, Lapeer. Surviving are; brothers, Oliver and Ernie; sisters, Mrs. Emma White, Mrs. Edith Cook, Mrs. Anna Rowe.

William Dean France, 6. Services 10 a.m. Sunday from Reigle Funeral home. Burial in Sunset Hills. Surviving are parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence France; brothers, Lawrence Jr. and David; sister Geraldine, Donna, Carol and Mrs. Naomi Mitchell.

Mrs. Elsie Holdorph, 35, Phyllis, 7. Services 5 p.m. Sunday from Reigle funeral home. Mrs. Holdorph is survived by husband, Fred; sons, Fred John and David; daughters, Anita and Marie; father, Sherman Lugibihl; brothers, Ted and Charles Lugibihl.

James Dipzinski, 18. Services at the Walker Funeral home, Gaylord. Burial in Gaylord. Surviving are parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Dipzinski; brothers, Larry, Patrick and Ronald; sisters, Gloria, Judith, and Sally.

Ronald Walter, 15. Services from Sternouel Funera1 home, West Branch. Burial in West Branch. Surviving are parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Walters; brothers, Francis and Gordon; sister, Phyllis Louise.

Walter Eckert, 52; Services were held yesterday. Burial in Flint Memorial park. Surviving are sons, Walter Jr., John and Carl; sister, Mrs. Alex Weber, Mrs Riley Schermerhorn and Mrs. John Helzer.

June 12, 1953
 

UAW-CIO president Walter Reuther announced last night that his union would contribute $100,000 to aid victims of the Beecher tornado.

Shortly before, a tiny arm reaching through the rubble led rescue crews to the 120th victim of the savage twister. Red Cross workers said the body had been identified as that of Diane Shreve, 14-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William A. Shreve, G-1303 W. Coldwater.

“There may be more yet;” a State Police trooper cautioned. A few persons still are missing, although they are not believed to be dead.

The union donation raised the total fund pledged to the Red Feather Disaster fund past the $250,000 mark. However, only $29,433 has been banked.

Matching the General Motors pledge of $100,000, Reuther said a check for $50,000 already had been sent to Robert Carter, union regional director here.

He added that the balance of the union’s contribution would come from UAW locals throughout the state.

“Because of the added contributions from the local Flint unions, and because we are sure that other locals will exceed their goal of $50,000, our union’s total donation will exceed by a substantial sum our pledge of $100,000.” Reuther said.

At the disaster scene, reclamation work proceeded slowly as volunteer crews awaited release from homeowners to clear private land of the massive piles of rubble.

Nearby, in St. Francis of Assisi school, Red Cross case workers announced that more than 100 families had been registered for relief and rehabilitation assistance.

“This is barely the beginning,” according to Ralph Gentile, disaster representative of the national organization.

“All affected families probably will not register before the end of next week and our workers will remain here for at least two months to process and settle all requests for aid,” he said.

At local Red Cross chapter headquarters, inquiries after the walfare of Flint residents had dwindled to one-tenth of the 200 telegram-per-hour rate which had been reached Tuesday and Wednesday and Charles Goodwin, local executive secretary, said many of the emergency workers probably will not be needed after the first of the week.

Federal civi1 defense director Val Peterson visited the stricken area yesterday to see what a city might look like following an atomic attack.

He praised local officiala for their disaster organization, but warned that “countless fires could make an atom attack even more devasting.”

Along Coldwater road, confusion no longer is the rule of the day. Many families have scoured the ruins of homes, carting away all valuables in cars and trailers.

With strict police order, traffic in the area has been reduced considerably, and utility company crews have installed streetlights, telephone wires and water service.

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June 12, 1953

Plans Faulty, Young Admits

Blocked Roads And Pile-Up At Hurley Hospital Cited

By Tom Kay

The tornado which struck with such fury here Monday proved that Flint area residents have the heart and the will to meet disaster. It also proved that they lack any real organization or system to cope quickly with calamity.

That was the privately expressed opinion of many persons who witnessed the early pandemonium and confusion in the wake of the wind’s horror. The storm exhibited clearly that this area’s emergency disaster agencies need centralized leadership, was the general feeling.

“Chaos” was the word one witness used to describe the confusion immediately following the blast. Volunteer workers piled into the storm area and began searching the ruins for casualties long before authoritative order was established.

It was many hours after the storm struck that State Police set up what came closest to being a command post for dawn brought a semblance of order.

It was only the initiative and labor of the shirt-sleeved volunteers who wrestled with the rubble that saved the lives of many, critically injured persons. It was not leadership or organization.

One of the worst problems faced by the rescue teams was the failure of the many uniformed police to keep main routes open for ambulance traffic. The barricade system of stopping vehicles every few feet failed, both at keeping the roads clear or morbid gawkers out of the area.

Authority fell down in handling the flood of casualties. There was no centra1 plan. for using available hospital facilities.

As regular and make-shift ambulances shuttled back and forth from the scene the numbers of casualties piled up outside Hurley hospital’s emergency entrance and staggered the overworked staff.

Meanwhile, other hospitals had hastily assembled staffs prepared and waiting in vain. McLaren General received only a trickle of wounded, while the waiting team at the County Tuberculosis Sanatorium sat the night through without getting a single patient.

City Manager Herman Young said yesterday that no plan had been. made for distributing hospital cases during a disaster. He said it was a matter “simply overlooked” in disaster planning.

Young admitted that failure to station someone in authority at Hurley to redirect arriving. ambulances to other hospitals when it became evident the number was too great to handle showed lack of foresight.

The day following the twister which swept through Sarnia and Port Huron, a News-Advertiser reporter asked Young whether or not this city’s Civilian Defense agency, which he heads, could meet a similar disaster here.

Young, at that time frankly admitted he did not think the organizational work had progressed to such a stage, of efficiency.

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