RATCLIFF, Dale Wayne
DALE WAYNE RATCLIFF
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review, August 22, 1967
VEEDERSBURG – A 22-year-old rural Veedersburg man was one of two persons killed in a fiery headon collision Monday night, that State Trooper James Thomas called, “the worst accident I’ve ever seen.” Dale W. Ratcliff, of Rt. 4, Veedersburg, died en route to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Danville, Ill., after the accident about 11:30 p.m. on Interstate 74 one mile west of Ind. 63 in Vermillion County. The other victim, who was driving east in the westbound lane of the superhighway, was identified by officers as Mont D. Allen, 57, Lafayette. Allen was thrown clear of the wreck and killed instantly. His car caught fire and was destroyed. Ratcliff was pinned in the wreckage of his car and it was Indiana Traffic Deaths 891 Aug. 23 Last Year 970 several minutes before he could be extricated. His car did not burn. The Allen auto caught fire at impact. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Vermillion County cornoner, according to state police. State Police told The Journal-Review that a dispatch had been issued minutes before the crash for all units to observe for a vehicle driving in the wrong lane of the interstate. Formally investigating the accident were State Troopers Ted Greene and Charles Arrasmith of the Terre Haute Post, Illinois state police, the Vermillion County coroner and a Vermillion County deputy sheriff. Trooper Thomas, of the Lafayette Post, was called in to assist. Ratcliff, a native of Danville, Ill., was the son of Joseph R. and Frances (Sprowls) Ratcliff. He was born Nov. 18, 1944, and married the former Barbara Poindexter March 6, 1965, in Veedersburg. Also surviving are a son, Scott; seven brothers, Gary of Fort Hood, Gerald of New Richmond and Richard, Donald, Robert David and Johnny, all at home, and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Ratcliff of Veedersburg and Mr. and Mrs. Wilber Sprowls of Danville, Ill. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Methodist Church here with Rev. Edith Bruner officiating. Interment will be in Rockfield Cemetery. Friends may pay respects at the Parham Funeral Home after 2 p.m. today. Two traffic deaths occurred Tuesday. Elden Brewer, 47, Rt. 1, Medora, was killed in a two-car collision on U. S. 50 3 miles west of Brownstown. Investigating police reported that a car driven by Norman Taylor, 33, Peoria, Ill., in trying to pass Brewer’s pickup truck, struck it in the rear. The truck and car went over an embankment, and Brewer was hurled 62 feet from his vehicle. Taylor was taken to Bartholomew County Hospital. Donnie J. Hoskins, 19, Warsaw, was killed when his car crashed on Ind. 15 about 7 miles north of Wabash. State police said Hoskins’ car went off the right side of the road, traveled 215 feet off the highway, struck three cement corner posts and then overturned. Thomas Cole, 19, Muncie, died in Ball Memorial Hospital Tuesday of injuries suffered in a two-car accident Aug. 19 on a Delaware County road near Muncie. State police said the victim was a passenger in a car that veered out of control on the rain-slick pavement into the path of the second auto. – jlr
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review 22 Aug 1967 p 1
Veedersburg, Ind. (CNS) -- Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Parham Funeral Home for Dale Wayne Ratcliff, 23, of Veedersburg Route 4. He died yesterday of multiple injuries sustained in an head-on crash on Interstate 74 near Indiana Route 63. The Rev. Edith Bruner will officiate. Burial will be in Rockfield Cemetery. The body is at the funeral home. Friends will be received after 2 p.m. today. Born Nov. 18, 1944, he was the son of Joseph R. and Frances Sprowls Ratcliff of Wingate. He was married March 6, 1963, to Barbara Poindexter, who survives with one son, Scott, 2. Other survivors include his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Ratcliff of Veedersburg and Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Sprouls of Danville. --typed by Walt W
Source: The obituary is from a collection of newspaper (paper names not recorded) obituaries saved, by Fauniel Hershberger, during the 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's. She was a life long resident of Fountain County Indiana. The collection is now housed at Crawfordsville District Public Library.
Covington, Ind..--Two men died in a fiery head-on crash in the westbound lane of Interstate 74 near Indiana Route 63 at 11:40 last night. Dale W. Ratcliff, 23, Veedersburg, Ind., Route 4, died of multiple injuries en route to St. Elizabeth's Hospital. He was trapped in the back seat of his auto from the impact of the crash. By-standers assisted in freeing him. The other driver, Mont Allen of Lafayette, was reported to have died instantly of multiple crushing injuries after being thrown from his burning auto. Prior to the accident, Illinois State Police alerted Indiana Police to stop the auto that was eastbound in the westbound lane of the divided highway. The two autos hit head-on before police could reach the highway. Ratcliff was westbound and Allen was traveling east in the westbound lanes, officers reported. The accident was investigated by the Vermillion County Sheriff Frank Turchi, Deputy Floyd Davis and State Troopers Ted Green and Charles Arrasmith. Ratcliff was the son of Joseph R. and Frances Sprowls Ratcliff of Wingate. He was married to Barbara Poindexter, who survives with one son, Scott, 2. Also surviving are his parents and seven brothers, Gary of Fort Hood, Tex., Richard, Donald, Robert, John and David, all of Wingate, and Gerold of New Richmond, Ind. The body is at the Parham Funeral Home. Arrangements are incomplete. --typed by Walt W
VEEDERSBURG -- Funeral services for Dale W. Ratcliff, who was killed in a traffic accident late Monday night, will be conducted at 2 p.m. at the Methodist Church here with Rev. Edith Bruner officiating. Burial will be in Rockfield Cemetery. Friends may call at the Parham Funeral Home here.