Howard Levi Rudy

1915 - 1959  (43 years)

• Name	Howard Levi Rudy
  Born	6 May 1915	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-39544
  Died	7 Jan 1959	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  	Cause: Railway Accident
  Buried	10 Jan 1959	Wanner Mennonite Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Person ID	I386648	Generations
  Last Modified	25 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Clarence Rudy,   b. 27 Sep 1890, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 5 Nov 1966, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 76 years)
  Mother	Ada Katie Snyder,   b. 5 Mar 1891, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 27 Dec 1976, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 85 years)
  Married	18 Mar 1913	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 4]
  Family ID	F261883	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Erma B. Lichty,   b. 23 Nov 1919, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 25 Aug 2006, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 86 years)
  Married	27 Jul 1946  [1]
  Children	1. Nancy Ann Rudy,   b. 8 May 1948, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 7 Jan 1959, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 10 years)   2. Phyllis Marie Rudy,   b. 27 Feb 1952, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 7 Jan 1959, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 6 years)   3. Walter Eugene Rudy,   b. 22 Jul 1953, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 7 Jan 1959, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 5 years)
  Last Modified	26 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F261885	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Truck Hit On Breslau Area Line A Breslau district farmer and his three young children, were killed instantly late yesterday afternoon, when their pick-up truck was struck by a twin-diesel freight train, on township road 1, near Shantz Station. Dead are Howard Levi Rudy, 43, of RR 2. Breslau; his two daughters, Nancy Ann, 10 and Phyllis Marie, 8 and son, Walter Eugene, 5. The accident took place on a railway crossing at the Waterloo-Wellington county line, only a few hundred yards from the Rudy farm laneway and about 10 miles east of Kitchener. RETURN FROM SCHOOL Mr. Rudy was returning from Vance School, about 11/2 miles south of his farm, after picking up his two daughters. The young boy, who doesn't attend school, went along for the ride. The truck was struck on the passenger side of its cab, by the westbound freight train, wrapped itself around the front of the engine and was carried down the tracks for half a mile. The railway tracks run parallel to the Rudy farm buildings. The wrecked truck and its four victims, were carried past the Rudy home, where Mrs. Rudy was in the barn cleaning out a milk tank. She said she heard a "bump" at the time of the impact, but thought it could have been a noise made by cows, shuffling in their stalls. INQUEST PLANNED Dr. C. C. Belyea, coroner, said an inquest will be held. He described the victims' injuries as "very extensive" and was of the opinion death was instantaneous. "It was one of the worst tragedies I have seen in this area," he said. A postmortem was performed on Mr. Rudy, at K-W Hospital today. Howard Hicks, 43 Chrisholme Ave., Toronto, in charge of the train, told Waterloo Township Chief Livingstone, he noticed the truck on the tracks but was unable to halt the diesel in time. The truck started to fall apart after it reached a laneway, directly behind the Rudy home, more than a quarter mile from the main crossing. DEBRIS STREWN A wheel with chains, a hubcap and other pieces of debris were strewn along the tracks. The crossing where the tragedy took place has no signals and is unlighted. There were no known witnesses. Police said the truck's tires left 21 feet of skid marks, leading to the tracks. One theory is that the truck, a 1953 model, stalled on the tracks. The accident occurred at 4: 35 p.m. A member of the train crew notified police. Chief Livingstone said there haxe been many tragic accidents in the township, but I think this is one of the worst in which I have taken a part in the investigation Assisting the chief were constables, John Stevenson, Nyle Soehner and Donald Herman. Chief Livingstone removed the bodies from the twisted wreckage. SURVIVORS LISTED Besides his wife, Mr. Rudy is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Rudy, RR 1, Hespeler: two brothers, Arthur of Waterloo and Wilfred of Edmonton; three sisters, Mrs. Homer (Anna) Burkhardt, RR 5, Galt: Mrs. Melvin (Margaret) Bearinger, RR 3, Waterloo and Mrs. Jesse (Lucile) Markle, RR 1, Hespeler. Mrs. Rudy's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Lichti, live at 236 Alexandra Ave., Waterloo. The former Erma Lichti, Mrs. Rudy was once employed at the John Forsyth Ltd. plant in Waterloo. The bodies are at the Harry K. Stager Funeral Home, 566 Queen St., Preston, until Friday night. Funeral service will be conducted, Saturday, at 2: 30 p.m., at the Wanner Mennonite Church, Beaverdale (near Hespeler). Rev. Merle Shantz will officiate. Burial will be in the adjoining Wanner Mennonite Cemetery. Kitchener-Waterloo Record 8 Jan 1959 pg 1 __________________________ Rudy, Howard, son of Clarence and Ada (Snyder) Rudy; born May 6, 1915, in Waterloo Twp. , Ont.; died Jan. 7, 1959, when hit at a level railroad crossing; aged 43 y. 8 m. 1 d. Married July 27, 1946, to Erma Lichty, who survives. In the same accident their three children were also killed; Nancy Ann, aged 10; Phyllis Marie, aged 6; and Walter Eugene, aged5. He is survived by his parents of Hespeler and 5 brothers and sisters (Anna- Mrs. Homer Burkhart, Galt, Ont. ; Arthur and Margaret-Mrs. Melvin Bearinger, Waterloo; Lucille- Mrs. Jesse Markle, Hespeler; and Wilfrid, Edmonton, Alta. ) . He was a member of the Wanner Mennonite Church near Hespeler, where services were held Jan. 10 for the father and his three children with Merle Shantz in charge; interment in adjoining cemetery. Gospel Herald - Volume LII, Number 10 - March 10 1959

  
  

• Sources

  [S8] News - Gospel Herald, Obituary of Howard Rudy - March 10 1959. [S2588] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Wanner Cemetery Internet Link. RUDY/ Erma/ 1919-2006/ Howard/ 1915-1959/ Walter/ 1853-1959/ Phyliss/ 1952-1959/ Nancy Ann/ 1948-1959/ I know that my redeemer liveth/ [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration. Ada Snider Born: Waterloo Twp Ont Age: 22 Father: Levi Snyder Mother: Sarah Reist Born: abt 1891 Spouse: Clarence Rudy Age: 22 Father: Daniel Rudy Mother: Nancy Shantz married 18 Mar 1913 [S2488] aaa Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, marriage certificate. Name:Clarence Rudy Age:22 Birth Year:abt 1891 Marriage Date:18 Mar 1913 Marriage Place:Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Father:Daniel Rudy Mother:Nancy Shantz Spouse:Ada Snider

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 6 May 1915 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: Railway Accident - 7 Jan 1959 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - 10 Jan 1959 - Wanner Mennonite Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth