Fatal Train Crash

courtesy of great granddaughter, Cheryl Stout

Elsworth Devillo Peck was the oldest son of Samuel Edgar Peck & Mary Ellen Widel from the previous post. He married Anna Marie Raftery, the daughter of Irish parents Patrick Raftery & Mary E Connelly.  Together they had 3 children - Zylpha, Glenn & Alice.

Anna died in 1928 from complications of diabetes then less than 7 years later, Devillo was killed in a train accident - both obits follow

courtesy of Conley Wolterman - Find A Grave

Odebolt Chronicle, Thurs, 26 Apr 1928
Death Call Loved Wife and Mother - Community Mourns Passing of Mrs E D Peck, After Few Days of Serious Illness
A death which is mourned over the whole community is that of Mrs E D Peck, to whom the death angel called at 12:40 o'clock Saturday morning, April 21, after an illness of about ten days. Mrs Peck, as was well known, has been a sufferer for a number of years, from a complication of ailments, from which it has seemed impossible to obtain relief. Everything that medical science could do in an effort to regain her health was done, but relief was but temporary. An attack of flu ten days before her death, added to the frail condition of her body, was more than she could withstand, and despite the most loving and tender ministration s of her family, and the skill of nurse and physician, she passed to the better world, leaving hearts and homes of those who loved her desolated. The last rites in memory of Mrs Peck were held at St Martin's Church at 9:30 o'clock Monday morning, the pastor, Rev A g Schaefer, conducting the services. Mrs C S Dugan sang a beautiful solo. The loved body was laid to rest in St Martin's Cemetery, W H Horan, P H Dinges, Will Landgraf, John Bauer acting as bearers. The Altar Society,of which Mrs peck was a member, attended in a body. Anna Raftery, the second child in a family of four, born to Patrick and Ellen Conley Raftery, was born at Platteville, Wis, October 2, 1868. At her death she was fifty-nine years, six months and eighteen days old. In 1880 the family moved to this township, and she was reared on the homestead northwest of town. October 12, 1890, she was married to E D Peck, with whom she passed more than thirty-seven years of happy wedded life, and has reared three children, to whom she was a devoted mother. The family home has been on the S E Peck homestead, until four years ago this spring, when they moved to town. Mrs Peck was a woman of gracious manner, with a smile and genial greeting for all with whom she came in contact. Throughout the years of her ill health and suffering, she has been bravely cheerful, thoughtful always of others rather than herself. In the home, she was the center of the happy family life, which is now broken, the first tie broken in the immediate family. She was a faithful and conscientious member of the Catholic church, active in all lines of the church work, and a true Christian. the grief stricken family are her husband and children, Mrs Ray Cranston, Glenn B Peck and Mrs Ward Duffy, nine grandchildren, all of Odebolt, one brother, Thomas Raftery, of Odebolt, and one sister, Mrs George Johnson of Sac City, and other relatives. The family has the deepest sympathy of the community in their bereavement. Relatives from away who were here for the funeral were: Mr and Mrs George Johnson, Mr and Mrs Wilson Scothorn, Sac City; Mr and Mrs J f Ady, Flandreau, S D; Mrs Kate Weaver, Baltic, S D; Mr and Mrs A Baker and Virginia and Mr and Mrs Jack Wilson, Milford; Mr and Mrs A H Keck and A H Widel of Gilmore City. Friends from Ida Grove, Vail and other points were in attendance. The following poem in memory of Mrs Peck was contributed by a friend:

In Memoriam of Mrs Peck
The gate of Paradise swing open,
While Heaven's choir their anthems sing,
And the weary blood washed pilgrim Bows meekly at the feet of Christ, the King
Mrs Peck, in vain thou hast not labored,
Thy [lite] was hid with Christ in God;
Those noble deeds shall never perish,
Your work remains, though your body lies beneath the sod.
Yes, loved ones see you in their visions
They hear you breathe that silent prayer;
It gives to one and all, an inspiration
To live for Christ, and meet you over there
A few more years of toil and sorrow,
Then we shall meet beyond the blue;
We'll never say goodbye in heaven,
Though here on earth we bid you fond adieu.
Dear Jesus, how we long for Home,
For mansions bright we pray,
Where god and our own loved ones dwell
In that land of endless day
--A Friend

Odebolt Chronicle, Thurs, 24 Jan 1935

courtesy of Conley Wolterman - Find A Grave

Auto-Train Crash Fatal To E D Peck

Former Odebolt Man, Now of Storm Lake, Dies Wednesday Morning

Relatives and friends of E D Peck, a pioneer of this township, now of Storm Lake, were shocked when the word came to his daughter, Mrs J R Cranston, late Monday afternoon, that he was seriously injured in an accident more than mile out of Sioux Rapids, and that he was in the hospital there. Mr and Mrs Cranston went to him at once, as did the other members of his family, and remained with him until his death, which came at 2:15 o'clock Wednesday morning, Jan 23. Mr Peck was in a car taking to her home Miss Gladys Smith of Sioux Rapids, a stenographer in the office of the Peck Motor Sales in Storm Lake. The car in which they were riding was struck by a freight train at the crossing southeast of town. Both were taken to the hospital and the families notified. Mr Peck suffered a fractured arm, broken in three places between the shoulder and elbow, a crushed chest, and a severe head wound. Miss Smith had severe body bruises and facial lacerations. She will recover. At first it was hoped that the injured man might recover, but it was not to be, and he passed away at the time mentioned, with two of his children at his bedside. Heart failure was the immediate cause of his death. Elsworth Devillo Peck was born May 15, 1862, the oldest of a family of seven children born to Mr and Mrs S E Peck near Monmouth, Jackson County, Iowa. At his death he had reached the age of 72 years, eight months, and seven days. He lived in Jackson County until the age of 12 years, when he came with his father to this township in the spring of 1874, the family coming in the fall. He grew to manhood here on the homestead one and three-quarter miles northeast of town, which was his home for 50 years. He was united in marriage with Miss Anna Raftery Oct 12, 1890, and the family home was on the Peck homestead until 1824, when they moved to town, Mr Peck, engaging in the automobile business in partnership with his son, Glenn. They continued in business here until October, 1931, when they moved to Storm Lake, which has since been his home and headquarters for their business. The father and son were unusually close in their associations together. Mr Peck was a man of strict integrity, devoted to his family, generous and indulgent. he was a good friend and was highly esteemed in the communities in which he lived. His wife passed away April 21, 1928, and since that time his home has been with his son. He leaves two daughters, and one son, Mrs J R Cranston of this place, Glenn B Peck of Storm Lake, and Mrs Ward Duffy of Spencer. He also leaves 14 grandchildren, and two sisters,Mrs Edward Wilkinson of this place and Mrs J F Ady of Flandreau, SD. His parents, three sisters and one brother preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held in the Hughes Funeral Home in Storm Lake at 1:00 o'clock Friday afternoon, and he will be laid to rest by the side of his wife in the Catholic cemetery in Odebolt with a short service at the grave at 2:30. The family has the deepest sympathy of the community in this bereavement.