Submitted by: Todd Nowicki

Rzepka, Gruszka, Kolczynski, Kizer, Kudak, Graf, Swiatkowski

Clara Rzepka: (South Bend News – Times 7/29/1929)

SCORE ARE HURT IN AUTO WRECKS NEAR SOUTH BEND

Electrician Falls from Pole After Touching Wire

Six persons were dead Monday, the result of automobile accidents, drownings and electrocution over the weekend in South Bend and the vicinity. Twenty-four others were injured in a number of automobile accidents Sunday in and near the city.   The dead are:   CLARA RZEPKA, 7, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rzepka, Terre Coupe, Ind., killed in automobile collision.   (jump to later part of article) The little Rzepka girl was killed instantly shortly before 9 o’clock Sunday morning in an automobile collision at Fassnacht avenue and Brookfield street. The child was thrown from a sedan driven by Alfred Gruszka, 18, 1701 Florence avenue, when it turned over after being struck by another closed car driven by Irene Kolczynski, 18 1014 Diamond avenue.   Others Injured   Mrs Josephine Kizer, 69, 1014 Diamond avenue, a passenger in the Kolczynski machine who received a deep laceration on the right knee and a sprained right wrist, and Mrs. Leo A. Kolczynski, who sustained a cut on the right hand, were taken to the St. Joseph hospital in the city ambulance by Officers William Hudak and Adolph Graf. Mrs. Kolczynski, mother of the driver, was released after treatment and attendants at the hospital Sunday night reported that Mrs. Kizer was in satisfactory condition.   Clementine Gruszka, 20, and Irene Gruszka, 20, sisters of Alfred, and Henrietta Rzepka, sister of Clara, suffered only slight bruises in the accident.   Irene Gruszka said Sunday night that her brother, driving west on Fassnacht avenue, had approached the intersection at a slow rate of speed  after crossing the railroad and speeded up in an effort to avoid the Kolczynski machine which she said was traveling north on Brookfield street at a high rate of speed and did not stop to give the right of way.   Crashes Into Tree   The Kolczynski car struck the left side of the Gruszka sedan and rolled it up against a small tree.   The two Rzepka children had come to the city to spend the week-end with the Stanley Gruszka family and were on their way to the West End Meat market, 328 N. Olive street, operated by Mr. Gruszka.   Clara was born Feb. 13, 1922 at Terre Coupe, Ind., and had lived there all her life. Besides her parents and sister, Henrietta, she is survived by another sister, Irene, and three brothers, Henrick, Clement and David, all at home. The body may be viewed at the residence. Funeral services will be held at the St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic church, Terre Coupe. The Rev. Michael Swiatkowski, pastor, will officiate and burial will be made in the St. Joseph cemetery, South Bend. The funeral hour has not been decided. Clara was a seventh grade pupil at District No. 7 school. (balance of  article omitted)