Dronberger - Hal
Hal Dronberger
Source: Waveland Independent, Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana, June 20, 1919
Hal Dronberger, well known here, met death in the Vandalia yards at Terre Haute, Saturday morning about half past ten, by being run over by a section of a freight train that was switching.
Death was instantaneous, as the head was completely severed from the body.
The first report was that Mr. Dronberger had committed suicide. The evidence is conflicting, but those nearest to the dead man are confident that there was no suicidal intent.
He had lately returned from the South where he was engaged in oil development, being manager of the Comanche Oil Co., and had gone to the union station to make some adjustment about Pullmans.
Funeral services were held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Welde, in Terre Haute, on Sunday afternoon in charge of the resident Episcopal minister. Inerment was at Highland Lawn.
Those attending were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Demaree of this place, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Demaree and D. G. Demaree of Crawfordsville.
Mrs. Dronberger was formerly Miss Grace Demaree, and at the time of her marriage lived with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Demaree, on the farm now owned by W. P. Waltz.
The Rockville Tribune says: "Mr. Dronberger twenty-five years ago was a well known bicycle rider and often made trips to Rockville and Parke County. "It was on one of these excursions that he met Miss Grace Demaree of Howard Township, who became his wife."
There are two sons; Hal Jr., who is a freshman at Rose Polytechnic; and Edson, who attends a military school in Tennessee.
Mr. Dronberger was 47 years old, and had been active in Terre Haute for the past twenty-five years.