Summers, Eugene Odare

Passed: 1951-05-20

Age: 28

Source: Jackson Herald

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1951-05-25

Information: One young man is dead, two others are injured, one of them seriously, as the result of an automobile in which they were riding crashing into the wingwall of a bridge at the home of J. D. Corbin on U. S. Rt. 21 near Kenna Saturday afternoon.  The dead youth is Clifford Eugene Summers, 28 year old grandson of W. M. Jordan of Ripley.  The injured were Burl Kerns and Sanford Duff, both of Kentuck.  George Kiser, another occupant of the car, escaped injury.  The car in which the young men were traveling had left Ripley only a few minutes before and were traveling south on the highway. Observers said that no other car was involved in the accident, but that the car in which the four young men were traveling failed to make a curve which leads into the bridge and that one guardrail post was sheared off and then the car struck the wingwall of the bridge.  It was completely demolished and traffic was held up until a wrecker could be sent from Ripley to clear the highway.  The Parsons funeral home ambulance was called and rushed to the scene.  Summers was unconscious and it was apparent that Kerns was badly injured.  They along with Duff and Kiser were rushed to a Charleston hospital where Summers died Sunday afternoon, without ever regaining consciousness. Kerns suffered fractures of both legs, a fractured collar bone and severe cuts.  Duff suffered only abrasions which are not considered serious.  Kiser and Duff were home on leave from the Navy and Summers was serving in the Army and was stationed at Washington D. C.  He was eligible for discharge this coming September.  At the hospital it was stated that Summers' death had resulted from a crushed chest and other injuries.  The body was brought to the Parsons mortuary in Ripley Sunday night and plans for the funeral have been tentatively made for sometime Wednesday pending the arrival of relatives from distant points.      The young man was born at Advent on December 12, 1922, s son of the late L. R. and Ida V. Summers.  He served 42 months in the armed forces during World War II, three years of which time was in overseas service. He had been stationed at Washington for some time and had been home on furlough for a few days.  Survivors include 4 brothers, Robert and Ray, both of Staten Island, New York; Stafford of Kansas City, Mo.; and Hansford, who is serving in the Army Air Force at Topeka, Kansas; a sister, Mrs. Geraldine Torcio, and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Jordan of Ripley and numerous other relatives.  The victim is the first highway fatality in Jackson county for this year, officers said.