CLEMENCE, Robert John - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Robert John Clemence, age 49, a resident of 816 Harrison St., and son of Attorney Robert E. Clemence of this city, was fatally injured Tuesday night, Dec. 27, in an accident which occurred on a curve at the west edge of Veedersburg, in front of the Craig Flower Shop. The accident occurred at about 11 p.m. Mr. Clemence, driving alone was headed east on US-136 and lost control of his car, a 1954 Pontiac, on the curve. He crashed into Craig's 1957 Ford station wagon and a 1958 Cadillac, owned by Max Carr, which were parked in the flower shop yard. The injured man was treated at the accident scene by Dr. Theodore Person of Veedersburg. He died in the Fishero ambulance enroute to St. Elizabeth Hospital, Danville; where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The time of his death was set at 11:20 p.m. Investigating the fatal crash, Fountain County's fourth traffic fatality this year, were Sheriff George E. Cruea, and State Trooper Stan Kenny of Veedersburg. Mr. Clemence was born in Chicago, Ill., on Jan 1, 1911, the son of Robert E. Clemence and the late Martha F. Botzen Clemence. He was married Nov. 17, 1948 to Alta Mary Gobel, who survives. He was a member of the Lutheran Church at Fairmount, West Virginia. He served as a corporal with the Army Air Force three years, seven months and 28 days during World War II. He was a member of the Fulton Banta Post 291, American Legion, and the Fountain County Old Guard Post 2395, Veterans of Foreign Wars, both of Covington. He had been a resident of Covington since 1933 and was employed at the L. D. Hegg Lumber Co., here. Surviving, in addition to his wife, are: two children, Robert (Bobby Lee), age 10 and Martha Irene, age 6, both at home; two adopted children, Keith and Mrs. Harriet Gillock, both of Lafayette; six grandchildren; his father of Covington; one brother, Leland L. Clemence, of Peoria Heights, Ill. He was preceded in death by his mother. The body is at the Bodine & Shelby Funeral Home where friends may call after 3 p.m. Thursday. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock (CST) Friday afternoon at the funeral home. The Rev. Billy Rudd will officiate and burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery here. Military rites will be conducted at the graveside by the local VFW and Legion Posts.

Veedersburg, Ind. - A 49-year-old Covington resident was fatally injured about 11:20 p.m. Tuesday in an auto accident on Route 136 at the west edge of Veedersburg. Dead is Robert John Clemence of 816 Harrison St. in Covington. Clemence was alone in his auto traveling east. The auto apparently went out of control on a curve, ran into the driveway at the Craig Greenhouse and crashed into a parked floral truck and an auto. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital at Danville in the Fishero ambulance, driven by Fountain County Coroner Ralph Nelson of Veedersburg. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Coroner Nelson reported that death was attributed to a fractured neck and internal injuries. Vermilion County Coroner Don Goodwin conducted an inquiry and reported accidental death. The accident was investigated by Fountain County Sheriff George Cruea of Covington and State Trooper Stan Kenny of Veedersburg. The officers reported witnesses said that Clemence had passed them on the highway traveling at a high rate of speed. The Clemence auto was reported to be a total loss and both the parked truck and auto were damaged extensively.