McLAIN, Ronald E. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

COVINGTON - Funeral services for Ronald Eugene McLain, age 24, of Covington Rt. 2, who was killed instantly about 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, in a car-train crash at Cayuga, were held at 2 p.m. Monday at the Bodine and Shelby Funeral Home here. Burial was in Mt. Hope Cemetery here. His automobile, eastbound on Main St., was struck broadside by the engine of a northbound Louisville and Nashville freight. The sports car was pushed nearly 200 feet down the tracks, stopping on some rails laying beside the tracks. The crossing is guarded only by cross arms. D. T. Howard of Perrysville, who was the conductor on the 67-car train, reported it was traveling at about 40 miles per hour. There was slight damage to the engine of the Chicago-bound freight. Other crewmen on the train were: G. D. Wright, engineer, and R. B. Martin, fireman, both of Danville, Ill. The young man was born Dec. 6, 1945, in Danville, Ill., the son of Sherman and Helen Russell McLain. He was married June 27, 1970 to Brenda Lou Abernathy, who survives. He was a graduate of Cayuga High School in 1964. He had been a life resident of Cayuga until his marriage. He was employed at Bohn Aluminum Co., in Danville, Ill., for one and one-half years. He served in the U.S. Army and had been in Vietnam three times. Surviving, in addition to the widow, are: his mother of Cayuga; seven sisters and brothers, Mrs. Myrna Hawkins of Cayuga, Mrs. Nancy Thomas of Culver, Mrs. Peggy Sutliff of Devil's Elbow, Mo., Mrs. Carol Welch of Dana, James of Cayuga, Mary McLain of Cayuga and Russell, also of Cayuga, and several nieces and nephews. The Rev. Eldon Gourley officiated at the funeral rites. -- jlr