F. Sanford Elliott
Lightning Kills Sanford Elliott Last Wednesday
F. Sanford Elliott, 56, prominent Sioux County rancher, was struck by lightning and killed last Wednesday evening on his ranch in the southeast part of the county.
County Coroner John Skavdahl said from information learned here, Mr. Elliott and two ranch workers, Bobby Hughes and an Indian whose name was not learned at the time, had been working with a bull in a pasture. When the storm came up they started to leave, and the pickup became stuck. Mr. Elliott apparently was in the process of jacking up the pickup when the lightning struck the pickup. The Indian was also knocked unconscious, and Mr. Hughes thought both men were dead. He walked several miles to the ranch house for help. When help returned, the Indian was up on his feet but did not realize what had happened. He has now been released from a hospital.
Masonic funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Jones Mortuary Chapel at Mitchell. Burial was in the Mitchell Cemetery.
Mr. Elliott was born in Mitchell on June 28, 1915, and attended the Mitchell schools and Chadron State College. He married the former Evelyn Powell in Scottsbluff on August 28, 1935.
He was a member of Holy Apostles Episcopal Church, a past master of Mitchell Masonic Lodge, a member of the Scottish Rite Alliance Consistory and Tehemah Temple of Hastings.
He was vice-president of the First National Bank of Mitchell, past president of the Scottsbluff Agricultural Society, a member of the Nebraska Stock Growers and the Nebraska State Brand Committee.
Survivors include his widow; one son, Dr. Donald Elliott of Gary, N.C.; a daughter, Mrs. Sandra Kamboris of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; his mother, Mrs. Grace Elliott of rural Sioux County; one brother, Jim of Mitchell; two sisters, Mrs. Lee (Jane) Manion of Tucson, Ariz. and Mrs. Marvin (Peg) Thompson of Houston, Tex.; and three grandchildren.
A memorial has been established to the Mitchell Masonic Lodge.