Francis Alowious Scheenen

Oil Worker Fatally Hurt At Field Friday

Francis Scheenen, 42, of Manville, died Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the Spencer Hospital of injuries received Friday morning while working at an oil rig in the Lance Creek field.

The accident occurred about 9:30 Friday morning at Apex No. 4 lease, well No. 4 of the Continental Oil Co. Mr. Scheenen was working for the Wyoming Well Service Co., which was pulling rod on that well.

The rod elevator, a mechanism weighing some 20 pounds, dropped 50 feet, striking Mr. Scheenen on the head. He suffered mutiple skull fracture and never regained consciousness.

Earl Jensen, operator; H.J. Newcomb, derrick man, and Carl Lashmett, who was just getting ready to go to work, were at the well at the time of the accident. The rod elevator is secured by a safety hook, but in some manner it came loose. Newcomb saw the danger and yelled at Scheenen, but either Scheenen did not hear or could not move quickly enough, it is believed.

The Peet ambulance was called and met the workers at Manville to bring Scheenen on in to the Spencer Hospital.

Funeral services were being conducted at the Peet Mortuary Wednesday afternoon, with the Rev. H.T. Clark of First Baptist Church officiating.

Surviving Mr. Scheenen are his wife and three sons, Francis Lee, 13, Carl 9, and Paul, 10 months. A more complete story of his life will be printed in next week's Herald.

The Lusk Herald
December 22, 1949
Services Held for Francis Scheenen

Funeral services for Francis A. Scheenen, who was fatally injured at a Lance Creek oil well on December 9, were held from the Peet Mortuary last Wednesday afternoon, with the Rev. H.T. Clark, pastor of the Baptist Church, officiating.

Casket bearers were Sven Johnson, Neil Grant, Leo Murphy, "Chub" Lashmett and Earl Jensen. Music was provided by Mrs. Jerry Alexander, Mr. and Mrs. Beryl Fullerton and Merell Hatcher, accompanied by Mrs. J.P. Watson. The songs were "Sweet Bye and Bye" and "The Old Rugged Cross." Interment was in the Lusk cemetery.

Francis A. Scheenen was born May 12, 1907, near Hay Springs, Neb., and was 42 years of age at the time of his death. When a young man he left Nebraska and went to Miles City, Mont., where he worked in a dairy. He married Alma Amek there February 29, 1928.

They moved to Wyoming in 1929 and for the first year he was employed by the Wyoming Highway Department, then took up farming until 1944. Since then he has been employed in the oil field.

Mr. Scheenen's second marriage was to Geneva L. Wright, daughter of Lee and Florence Wright of Lost Springs, on November 6, 1935. To them were born three sons, Francis Lee, 13; Carl, 9; and Paul, 10 months. Besides his widow and the children there are surviving one sister, Mrs. Nellie Minor of Gordon, Neb., and three brothers, John of White Clay, Neb.; Pete of Hot Springs, So. Dak., and Tony of Hay Springs, Neb. One brother and his mother and father died previously.

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