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- [Gans-Hertzog.FTW]
[Hertzog.FTW]
Bob, his wife Louise, and their daugher, "Winkie", were all killed in an a utomobile accident on PA Route 66 near Masontown, PA. They were passenge rs in the rear seat, on their way to the wedding of two close friends, a nd the couple to be married were in the front seat, with the groom drivi ng -- Vernon Deronar and Sandra Mahaffey. The driver failed to negotia te a sharp curve, and the car plunged 150 feet into a ravine. Bob and Lou ise were killed instantly, and Winkie, whom they had put on their laps a nd bent over to shield, died within a short time, still at the accident sc ene. The driver of the car died within two weeks of the accident, with t he only survivor being the bride-to-be.[TryMerge Johnson.FTW]
Evelyn Ruth Johnson Frankenberry was very close to Robert Earl "Bob" Frank enberry, the youngest brother of her husband, Merrill. Bob's parents sepa rated when he was only about 12 years old, and Evelyn was instrument al in his rearing. She remained very close to him and was often his confi dant, up until the time of his death.
Bob was a very talented, self-taught musician (piano and violin), had a gr eat aptitude for sketching, and seemed able to do well almost anythi ng he determined he wanted to do. As a very young man, he determined th at he wanted to be a minister. While working for the US Post Office, he a ttended seminary, and eventually completed his schooling and was ordain ed as a minister in the Baptist Church. His first church was the Greensb oro PA Baptist Church, where he was serving at the time of his death. An i ntelligent and sensitive young man, his sermon delivery was outstanding a nd spellbinding. A book of his sermons remains with a Frankenberry fami ly member.
Two of Bob and Louise's closest friends from Bob's seminary days were Vern on Deronar and Sandra Mahaffey. Vernon and Sandy were to be marri ed on 19 March 1953, and Bob and Louise were attending as their best man a nd maid of honor. The two couples, along with Bob and Louise's small daug hter, Winifred ("Winkie"), were en route, with Mr. Deronar driving, San dy in the passenger's seat, and Bob, Louise and Winkie in the back sea t. Mr. Deronar failed to negotiate a very sharp curve in the road, and t he automobile plunged into a steep ravine. Bob and Louise died instantl y. It appeared that they had placed Winkie in their laps and tried to shi eld her. When people approached the wrecked auto, Winkie was hea rd to be crying. With good intentions but bad judgement, they pulled h er out, broken bones punctured her lungs, and she died shortly after at t he scene of the accident.
Although Mr. Deronar and Ms. Mahaffey survived the accident, Mr. Deronar d ied about two weeks later of complications from the injuries he sustained.
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1927 - 1953 (26 years)
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