Thursday, July 3, 1975
CAVER KILLED
Allen G. Tracy, 23, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, died from injuries received when he was trapped by a rockslide at the entrance of Barnes Pit Cave on Swago Creek Tuesday afternoon.
He was a member of a group of 11 Canadians who had been caving in the Swago area since Saturday. Tracy was in the process of putting a caving ladder into the cave for the other members of the group when he somehow loosened a number of large rocks which pinned him against the side of the cave. The accident happened between 12:30 and 1 p.m. He lived for about an hour after the accident, but, despite efforts at resuscitation, he died before he could be removed.
The Marlinton Rescue Squad responded to the accident and worked until after 8 p.m. to remove the body. Several large rocks had to be moved before the body was freed. To move and secure the largest rock, weighing over five tons, required winches on a truck and bulldozer.
The body was flown to Canada on Wednesday.
WEDDING
Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church in Hillsboro was the setting for the 3 p.m. June 15, 1975, wedding of Miss Linda Sue Hill and Thomas W. VanReenen.
Miss Hill is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnnie B. Hill, of Hillsboro, and VanReenen’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Hubert VanReenen, of Beard.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Henly A. Cook, of Seebert, a son, Hampton Wade.
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Born to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Hefner, of Marlinton, a son, Jason Andrew.
DEATHS
Miss Ruth Kline, 78, died in St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida; service was held from VanReenen Funeral Home with burial in the McNeel Cemetery at Hillsboro.
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Mrs. Zelia Louise Elza, 62, of Cass; born near Beverly, a daughter of Jessie Swagger Collins Arbogast and the late Dexter Swagger. Funeral service from the Runner Funeral Home in Elkins with burial in the family cemetery there.
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Annie L. Carpenter, 90, of Dunmore, a daughter of the late Cornelious and Emma Buzzard. Funeral from Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home with burial in the Arbovale Cemetery.
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Harlan Gibson, 85, of Marlinton, a member of Mary’s Chapel Church in Slaty Fork.
Funeral from the church with burial in the Gibson Cemetery.
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Mrs. Obie Ann Alderman, 89, of Huntersville; born on Douthards Creek a daughter of John and Eliza Underwood Clarkson. Funeral from the Minnehaha United Methodist Church with burial in the Alderman Cemetery in Minnehaha Springs.
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William Audrey Cluff, 67, of Mill Point, widely known as “Lonesome Luke;” a son of the late Okey and Alamarinda Scott Cluff. Funeral service from VanReenen Funeral Home with burial in Emmanuel Cemetery at Lobelia.
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Robert C. Reynolds, Sr. 63, of Amherst, Ohio, a Navy Veteran of World War II. Born at Marlinton, a son of the late Stoker and Maggie Bradley Reynolds. Service from the funeral home with burial in Crownhill Cemetery.
