WRIGHT, Obie Kenneth
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review 27 Nov 1961
Mellott - a Mellott man was killed instantly about 9:10 a.m. Saturday when the car he was driving struck a train at a crossing in downtown Mellott. Obie Kenneth Wright, 45 of near Mellott was thrown from the wreckage of his car and died instantly out of his car and died instantly when his auto hit the engine of a west-bound Nickel Plate freight train. Witnesses said the Wright car was headed north at the time of the crash. The car was thrown into a ditch at the left side of the main street of town and into a ditch, snapping a telephone pole in two. They said the red flasher lights at the crossing were working at the time of the crash. A daughter of the dead man, Mrs. William Robinson of Newtown happened upon the wreck just after it happened. Witnesses told a Journal-Review correspondent that the body was thrown at least 15' from the wreckage of the automobile. Tim Hopkins of Mellott a witness to the crashj said that he was sitting in a cafe near the railroad when he saw Wright's car go by. He told reporters that he ran out of the care to warn Wright but was too late. Wright was employed as a fieldman for the Fountain County Co-Op. He was returning from the company's grain bins when the accident happened. He is survived by his wife and three daughters: Mrs. William Robinson of Newtown; Mrs. Russell Waymier of Attica and Kathy Wright of Mellott. The body was taken to the Crumley Funeral Home in Hillsboro where arrangements are pending. - kbz
Mellott - a Mellott man was killed instantly about 9:10 a.m. Saturday when the car he was driving struck a train at a crossing in downtown Mellott. Obie Kenneth Wright, 45 of near Mellott was thrown from the wreckage of his car and died instantly out of his car and died instantly when his auto hit the engine of a west-bound Nickel Plate freight train. Witnesses said the Wright car was headed north at the time of the crash. The car was thrown into a ditch at the left side of the main street of town and into a ditch, snapping a telephone pole in two. They said the red flasher lights at the crossing were working at the time of the crash. A daughter of the dead man, Mrs. William Robinson of Newtown happened upon the wreck just after it happened. Witnesses told a Journal-Review correspondent that the body was thrown at least 15' from the wreckage of the automobile. Tim Hopkins of Mellott a witness to the crashj said that he was sitting in a cafe near the railroad when he saw Wright's car go by. He told reporters that he ran out of the care to warn Wright but was too late. Wright was employed as a fieldman for the Fountain County Co-Op. He was returning from the company's grain bins when the accident happened. He is survived by his wife and three daughters: Mrs. William Robinson of Newtown; Mrs. Russell Waymier of Attica and Kathy Wright of Mellott. The body was taken to the Crumley Funeral Home in Hillsboro where arrangements are pending. - kbz
Funeral services for Obie Kenneth Wright, 45-year-old Mellott man who was killed instantly Saturday morning, Nov. 25, in a car-train accident, were held at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon at the Baptist Church in Newtown. The Rev. George Phelps officiated and burial, with the Crumley Funeral Home of Hillsboro in charge, was in the Waynetown Masonic Cemetery. Military rites were conducted by the Hillsboro Legion Post. The fatal accident occurred at about 9:10 a. m., when the car Mr. Wright was driving struck a train at a crossing in downtown Mellott. He was thrown from the wreckage of his car and died instantly when his auto hit the engine of a westbound Nickel Plate freight train. Witnesses said that the Wright car was headed north at the time of the crash. The car was thrown into a ditch at the left side of the main street of the town, snapping a telephone pole in two. They said the red flasher lights at the crossing were working at the time of the crash. A daughter of the dead man, Mrs. William Robinson of Newtown, happened upon the wreck just after it happened. Tim Hopkins of Mellott, a witness to the crash, said that he was sitting in a cafe near the railroad when he saw Wright's car go by. He said he ran out to warn Wright but was too late. The accident victim was employed as a fieldman for the Fountain County Co-op. He was returning from the company's grain bins when the accident happened. Mr. Wright was born Jan. 12, 1916 in Taylor County, Ky., the youngest of 12 children born to his parents, John W. and Lou Beard Wright. Ike is survived by his wife; three daughters, Mrs. Robinson of Newtown, Mrs. Russell Waymire of Attica and Miss Kathy Wright of Mellott; and nine brothers and sisters. Fountain County Sheriff George E. Cruea of Covington, State Trooper Jack Duncan of near Attica and Fountain County Coroner Ralph Nelson of Veedersburg investigated the accident. H. L. Kinderman of Frankfort, conductor of the train, estimated that the train was traveling between 40 and 50 miles an hour in a 55-mile per hour train zone. The engineer was C. F. Piacentine of Charleston, Ill. --typed by Walt W
Source: "Obituaries - Year - 1960 Volume B" from the Covington Public Library. Year 1961
Obie Wright, 45, was killed instantly Saturday morning, November 25, as his car was struck by a Nickie plate freight train at the crossing in Mellott. The accident happened at 9:10 a.m.
Mr. Wright was employed by the Fountain County Co-op as a fieldman and was just returning to the elevator in Mellott when the accident happened. Witnesses said the signal lights were working at the time, but Mr. Wright, who had riven over the crossing many times, evidently failed to notice the oncoming 5 unit, 115 car freighter approaching. The engineer, C. F. Placentine, of Charleston, Ill., and conductor, H. L. Kinderman of Frankfort estimated the train was traveling about 50 , m.p.h. at the time.
Adding to the tragedy was the virtual witnessing of the accident by a daughter, Mrs. William Robinson, of Newtown, who was south bound and could not cross the tracks because of the crash.
Mr. Wright was born January 12, 1916 in Taylor County, Kentucky, one of 12 children born to John W. and Lou Beard Wright. Surviving are the wife; three daughters, Mrs. Robinson of Newtown, Mrs. Russell Waymire of Attica and Miss Kathy Wright, of Mellott, and nine brothers and sisters.
Funeral services were held at the Baptist Church in Newtown at 2 p.m. Monday.
Rev. George Phelps, pastor, was in charge of the services. Music was furnished by Mrs. Victor Ingalsbe and Mrs. James Carroll with Mrs. Elton Slusser at the piano.
Pall-bearers were members of the Hillsboro Post No. 188, American Legion. They were Estel Lighty, Karl Jahnke, John Z. Linville, Marvin Crumley, Gerald Eitnier and Roy Welch.
A military burial service was held at the Masonic Cemetery near Waynetown. The Quigle-Palin Post No. 194 of Newtown and the Hillsboro Post were in charge.