Lulu Pearl Deuel

Mrs. Lulu Deuel Dies in Highway Crash on Farm to Market Road This Morning; Companion Hurt

Mrs. Lulu Deuel, 63, operator of the Lusk Hotel here for many years, was almost instantly killed in a two-car accident shortly after 10:00 a.m., today. The mishap occurred five miles east of the so-called McCormick junction where the farm to market road leaves U. S. Highway 85, when the 1955 Mercury two-door hardtop owned and driven by Richard L. James 25, son of former County Commissioner and Mrs. Levern James, collided almost head-on with the 1950 Dodge four-door sedan owned and driven by the victim.

Mrs. Arthur Root, also of this city, who was riding with Mrs. Deuel, is understood to have suffered a fractured right knee, bruises and some considerable shock. Both women were hurled from the car, presumably through the right front door. Mrs. Root was found in a sitting position with her head in her hands, about four feet from where the Dodge had come to a stop, and the body of Mrs. Deuel was lying prone about eight feet from the machine.

Mrs. Deuel, whose death marked the 31st highway fatality for Wyoming this year, died from a basal skull fracture and the fracture of vertebrae in her neck. She was pronounced dead upon the arrival of a local physician called to the accident.

According to State Highway Patrolman Harold Ogburn, who only Monday took up his assignment in this county; both cars had come over slight knolls, James coming west and the Deuel car going east. The farm-to-market road has been in bad condition since the recent storms and cold weather, and on the extreme outsides are numerous frost-breaks and rough spots. Too, a high wind was blowing, and because of the rolling nature of the road, visibility between the inclines is limited.

It is presumed that due to the condition of the blacktop, both drivers were inclined to keep way from the outside of the highway, and that the mishap can at least partially be attributed to this fact. The farm-to-market highway, constructed several years ago, has a blacktop width of only 19.6 feet at the point of the crash, according to Patrolman Ogburn.

The cars met with the left front end of the Mercury ramming the left front end of the Dodge, with such force as to spin it around two full turns, sending it into the south borrow pit, where it stopped with the front wheels almost touching the blacktop, facing almost directly north. The Mercury traveled a total of 214 feet from the point of impact, and came to a halt with the left wheels on the north side of the blacktop and the right wheels on the soft shoulder.

Young James remained with his car and after seeing the two women had been thrown out of their machine started across the prairie to the Bill Jassman ranch, some three-quarters of a mile away, to phone for help. He notified the local check station and a call went out for the Peet ambulance and a physician. Patrolman Ogburn receiving the call at 11:40 and arriving at the accident site just at noon.

Mrs. Root was rushed to Lusk, where she underwent an examination at the Niobrara Memorial hospital. She was shortly afterwards taken overland to Casper where a bone specialist was to be consulted. The remains of the victim were taken in charge by George Earl Peet, local mortician, and also brought here, James left arm took the force of the impact, but an examination later disclosed that his hurts were not serious.

Both cars were declared to be total losses.

Women were on Way to James Ranch home

Ironically, the women were on their way to the ranch home of Mr. and Mrs. Levern James, where they had planned to have luncheon and an afternoon of sociability. Young James had left the ranch to come to Lusk for some groceries, it was learned, and traveled only about three miles when the crash occurred. The tragic accident ended the missions of both parties.

Inquest to Determine Cause will be Held

It was understood at a late hour today that an inquest will be held to determine the cause of the accident. The day has not been definitely set, altho, according to County Coroner Peet, it will probably be the forepart of next week.

Services for Mrs. Deuel to be held Sunday

Funeral services for the late Mrs. Lulu Deuel will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 1st, at the chapel of the Peet Funeral Home. Burial will be made in the Lusk cemetery.

Mrs. Deuel was an extremely popular person and had a large circle of admiring friends. She was a member of Mariposa Chapter No. 35, Order of the Eastern Star of Manville, and was also a member of Lusk Rebekah Lodge, No. 12, president of the Lusk Woman's club; Congregational Church and for many years had operated the Lusk Hotel.

Her only daughter, Mrs. Doreen Hunt of Haugen, Mont., is expected to arrive by plane in Casper tomorrow (Friday) and will be met by friends and brought to Lusk. Her husband, James, will join Mrs. Hunt in Lusk for the services. A complete obituary will be carried in next week's issue of The Free Lance.

The Lusk Free Lance
Lusk, Niobrara County, Wyoming
Thursday, May 5, 1955

Coroner's Jury Finds Accident in Which Mrs. Lulu Deuel Died and Another Hurt Unavoidable

(Photo: Shown above is the wreckage of the 1950 Dodge sedan in which Mrs. Lulu Deuel and her companion, Mrs. Arthur Root, both of Lusk, were riding when a collision with the 1955 Mercury two-door hardtop took place on the farm-to-market road, 10 miles northeast of this city last Thursday morning. Mrs. Deuel died at the scene from injuries, while Mrs. Root is understood to have suffered a fractured knee cap and multiple bruises.

At the right is the Mercury, which was at the time of the crash being driven by Richard L James, rancher. He escaped with bruising -- Free Lance Photos.)

A coroner's jury, called to inquire into the cause of the accident in which Mr. Lulu Pearl Deuel, 63, was killed last Thursday morning, April 28th, returned a verdict that the deceased came to her death in a "two-car collision with neither of the drivers at fault." In the opinion of the jury, the accident was unavoidable, the corner's report stated.

The inquest was conducted Tuesday afternoon at the Peet mortuary, with County Coroner George Earl Peet directing the inquiry, and County Atty. James E. Barrett as examiner. On the jury were Martin Glandt, E. E. Davenport and Henry R. Ross. Three witnesses were interrogated during the proceedings here, and the statement of Mrs. Arthur Root, companion of Mrs. Deuel when the accident occurred, taken from her hospital bed in the Memorial Hospital at Casper, was read during the inquest.

Witnesses testifying here included Richard L. James, 25, son of Mr. and Mrs. Levern James, ranchers; State Highway Patrolman Harold Ogburn, who first investigated the accident, and State Highway Patrol Cpl. M. S. Jordan, who investigated the accident scene the following day.

All testified to the poor condition of the road in the vicinity of where the collision occurred. This is the farm-to-market road coursing off of U. S. Highway 85, five miles north of Lusk, and going towards Kirtley. The rough edges of the blacktop, along with the narrowness of the road (19.6) were described, and also figuring in the accident was a high wind blowing that day. Visibility was another matter due to the rolling terrain in that neighborhood, with testimony indicating that numerous inclines prevent visibility for any reasonable distance. Neither car, according to the testimony, was traveling at a speed in excess of 55 miles per hour, and it was indicated that a lesser speed was the case when the two machines collided.

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Concluding Services for Accident Victim, Mrs. Lulu Deuel Are Held Sunday; Interment Lusk Cemetery

Concluding services were held at three o'clock Sunday afternoon for the late Mrs. Lulu Deuel, Lusk business woman who met her death in an automobile accident last Thursday morning on a farm-to-market road about 10 miles northeast of Lusk. Rev. Jacob Nein, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Lusk, officiated at the rites.

A mixed quartet, Mrs. H. J. Templeton, Miss Phyllis Johns, Dale Bardo and Gerald Bardo, sang "Beautiful Isle" and "Nearer My God to thee," with Mrs. Gerald Bardo at the chapel organ. Members of Mariposa chapter No. 35, Order of the Eastern Star of Manville attended the services in a group, and performed their ritualistic services at the chapel of the Peet Funeral home.

Interment was made in the Lusk cemetery with Ray DeGering, John Siemsen, D. A. Shoopman, William Kruse, Rulo Roberts, all of Lusk, and Rod Thomson of Douglas, Wyo., bearing the remains to their final resting place. Honorary pallbearers were Frank Johnston, Roscoe Ross, Art Hitchcock, Bill Schmidt, Joe Traphagan and Guy Baker.

Lulu Deuel, daughter of John and Sophia Porter, was born April 9, 1892 in Plainview, Nebr., and unexpectedly and suddenly departed this life in an automobile accident at about 11:00 o'clock, Thursday morning, April 28, 1955. She had attained the age of 63 years and 19 days.

When she was nine years old, the family moved to Norfolk, Nebr. This was her home until she married Warren F. Deuel, August 7, 1916. One daughter, Doreen, was born to this union. After the marriage the family moved to Van Tassell, Wyo., and from there later moved to Lance Creek, Wyo. It was here that Mrs. Deuel taught school and for years was postmistress of the Deuel post office.

After moving to Lusk, she became operator of the Lusk Hotel and took an active interest in fraternal and civic organizations. She was a member of the Congregational church, vice president of the Congregational community Circle, past matron of Mariposa Chapter No. 35, Order of the Eastern Star of Manville, member of Lusk Rebekah Lodge No. 12, was serving as president of the Lusk Woman's club, and was a member of the Sagebrush Pals Extension club.

She leaves to mourn her passing her daughter, Mrs. James Hunt, seven grandchildren, and Warren F. Deuel all of Hougen, Mont.; four sisters, Mrs. Lawrence Brucker of Cody, Wyo., Mrs. Claude Wright, Wayne, Nebr., Mrs. Wm. Rice and Miss Edyth Porter, Lincoln, Nebr.; one brother, John Porter of Lincoln, Nebr., as well as a host of friends and acquaintances.

Thon Book No. 7
April 28, 1955
Mrs. Lulu Deuel Killed in Crash

A coroners jury returned a verdict of "unavoidable accident" Tuesday afternoon considering the headon automobile crash last Thursday that took the life of Mrs. Lulu Deuel, 63, operator of the Lusk Hotel for a number of years.

Mrs. Deuel died of a basal skull fracture and fracture of vertebrae in her neck.

The inquest was conducted by Coroner George Earl Peet, with Henry H. Ross, Martin Glandt, and E. E. Davenport as jurors.

Mrs. Arthur Root, who suffered a crushed knee cap, was taken to the Casper Memorial Hospital and is in improved condition. She was undergoing an operation on the knee this Wednesday morning, and expects to be moved soon to Shoshoni to be with her son, Dr. Donald Root and his family. She suffered considerable shock, cuts and bruises.

The accident occurred Thursday morning, about 11:00 when the 1950 Dodge she was driving collided on a slight hill with a 1955 Mercury driven by Richard L. James, 25, on the surfaced Kirtley road five miles east of McCormick's corner.

After the collision the James car traveled forward 214 feet without leaving the road, and apparently the forward motion lessened the impact for the driver who was unhurt.

It is believed by Highway Patrolman Harold Ogburn, who investigated the accident, that the Deuel car turned completely around in the air throwing the women out the right door. It came to rest in the barrow pit facing the road.

When Mr. James got out of his car he found Mrs. Root sitting on the ground about four feet from the Dodge, her head in her hands. Mrs. Deuel was lying about eight feet from the car.

Lacking materials with which to give first aid, James ran over a mile across fields to the William Jassman ranch to telephone Lusk for aid. Mr. Jassman then brought him back to the scene while the Patrolman, Peet ambulance and a doctor came out from Lusk.

Patrolman Ogburn said the blacktop farm-to-market road was only 19.6 feet wide at the point of crash. Travelers on the road point out that most traffic is down the center because in numerous places the shoulder had broken down due to severe winter weather and snow removal operations.

Mrs. Root and Mrs. Deuel were enroute to the Levern James ranch to have lunch and spend the afternoon. Richard was driving into town to buy groceries.

Both automobiles are considered a total loss.

Funeral services were held Sunday at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel of the Peet Mortuary with Rev. Jacob Nein of the Lusk Congregational Church officiating.

A mixed quartet composed of Mrs. H. J. Templeton, Miss Phyllis Johns, Dale M. Bardo and Gerald D. Bardo sang "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere," and "Nearer My God to Thee," accompanied by Mrs. Gerald Bardo, organist.

Mariposa Chapter No. 35, O.E.S., conferred the burial service of the organization at the chapel. Those taking part were: Miss Alice Sheaman, Worthy Matron; Adolph Hennebeck, Worthy Patron; Mrs. Cecelia Carlson, Chaplain; Mrs. Blanche Gillespie, Mrs. Lola Mangus, Mrs. Marion Hennebeck, Mrs. Crystal Latham and Mrs. Irene Stiles.

Honorary bearers were: Frank Johnston, Roscoe Ross, Art Hitchcock, Joe Traphagan, Wm Schmidt and Guy Baker. Active pallbearers were: Ray DeGering, Rod Thomson, John Siemsen, D. A. Shoopman, Wm. Kruse, and Rulo Roberts. Interment was in the Lusk Cemetery with the Peet Mortuary in charge.

Lulu Deuel, daughter of John and Sophia Porter, was born April 9, 1892, in Plaiview, Neb. When she was nine years old the family moved to Norfolk, Neb.

This was her home until she married Warren F. Deuel On Aug. 7, 1916. After the marriage, the couple moved to Van Tassell and later to Lance Creek. It was here that Mrs. Deuel taught school and for years was postmistress of Deuel Post Office.

After moving to Lusk she became interested in many other activities. She was a member of the Lusk Congregational Church as well as vice president of the Circle. Mrs. Deuel was a past Matron of Mariposa Chapter O.E.S., a member of Lusk Rebekah Lodge No. 12 and of the Sagebrush Pals Extension Club. She was president of the Lusk Woman's Club at the time of her death.

Surviving are: her daughter, Mrs. James Hunt, seven grandchildren and Warren F. Deuel, all of Haugen, Mont..; four sisters: Mrs. Lawrence Brucker of Cody; Mrs. Claude Wright of Wayne, Neb.; Mrs. Wm. Rice and Miss Edyth Porter of Lincoln, Neb.; and one brother, John Porter of Lincoln.

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