Person Page - 484

     Donald Orris Flaugh was born on 20 October 1902 at Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.² He married Mable Arlene Palmer, daughter of Ralph William Palmer and Emma Jane Lewis, on 15 October 1940.¹ Donald Orris Flaugh died on 18 August 1986 at Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, at age 83.²

     Forrest DeArment Roberts was born on 15 October 1916 at Greenville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.^2,3 He was the son of Roscoe R. Roberts and Daisy B. DeArment.⁴ Forrest DeArment Roberts died on 16 December 1978 at Greenville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, at age 62.²

     Donald Richford Roberts was born on 16 January 1948 at Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.² He was the son of Forrest DeArment Roberts.¹ Donald Richford Roberts died on 3 September 1980 at Germany at age 32.²

     Ralph William Palmer Jr. was born on 7 November 1923 at Conneaut Lake, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.² He was the son of Ralph William Palmer and Emma Jane Lewis.¹ Ralph William Palmer Jr. married Betty Jean Miller, daughter of Olef Harrison Miller and Fannie Jane Hall.¹ Ralph William Palmer Jr. died on 30 June 1954 at Titusville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, at age 30.² A newspaper article about his death read, "Deputy Coroner Dr. C. M. Sonne has issued verdicts of death by involuntary manslaughter in the high-speed traffic tragedy that claimed the lives of three men Wednesday night at Titusville. Dr. Sonne said he will record the deaths as involuntary manslaughter because other occupants of the car warned the driver to slow down before the crash. Only one of the four occupants survived the spectacular crash as the 1950 Cadillac roared out of control 350 feet along Smock Boulevard, slicing off signs and shrubbery, rolling into a utility pole and exploding into a pile of junk. Fenders and other parts were strewn among the rubble in the wake of the careening car. The victims: Ralph W. Palmer Jr., about 40, of Gresham, the driver who was killed instantly when his body was flung against a second-floor window and dropped onto the sidewalk. Donald Thomas, 32, Gresham, thrown from the car on the rear seat of the vehicle, killed instantly. Herbert Sullivan, 26, 521 W. Central Ave., Titusville, who lived only a short time after the accident. The survivor, Paul Shorts, 31, of Star Route, Titusville, suffered only minor injuries and was discharged from Titusville Hospital early Thursday morning. Palmer, supervisor of the tool room at Skyline Industries, Titusville, is the son of a Blooming Vallen couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph W. Palmer, Sr. Funeral arrangements for him are being handled locally. Shorts told of the 110-mile-an-hour ride that led to what is believed to be Titusville's worst auto accident in history. Shorts at least twice told bystanders that the car had been 'going more that 110 miles an hour -- needle was way past the 110 mark.' He said there had been at least one warning from one of the passengers urging Palmer -- who had owned the car only a week -- to slow down. The accident happened at 10:42 p.m. when the car, traveling toward Titusville on three-lane Smock Boulevard or Route 8 at the south end of the town, approached a curve by Fleming Road. The car went off the pavement to the right, riding the berm and ripping along the ditch. The deputy coroner listed numerous injuries for all of the men, including skull fracture suffered by Palmer, neck and skull fractures of Thomas, and traumatic shock which caused Sullivan's death. Palmer was one of the oldest employees from point of service of Skyline Industries where he had worked since 1945. World War II veteran, he served with the 16th heavy field artillery regiment and fought in the Battle of the Bulge and other campaigns. He belonged to the FO Eagles Lodge, Titusville. Surviving besides his parents are his widow, Betty; three children, Sherry, Beverly and Charles; three sisters, Mrs. Don Flaugh of Meadville, Mrs. Florence Roberts, Greenville, and Mrs. James Cleland, Coraopolis. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Byham Funeral Home, Meadville, where services will be held Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Interment will be at Greendale Cemetery. Thomas, an auto salesman, is survived by his widow, his mother and a brother. Sullivan was employed in a cafe owned bhy his mother, Mrs. Bertha M. Sullivan, who was at her summer home on Georgian Bay, Canada, at the time of the accident."¹ He was buried at Greendale Cemetery, Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.¹

     Betty Jean Miller was born on 10 July 1922 at Greenville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.^1,2 She was the daughter of Olef Harrison Miller and Fannie Jane Hall.² Betty Jean Miller married Ralph William Palmer Jr., son of Ralph William Palmer and Emma Jane Lewis.¹ Betty Jean Miller died on 9 November 1988 at Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania, at age 66.^1,2 Her obituary read, "Betty J. Palmer, 66, of Titusville, RD 5, Box 38, died Wednesday, Nov. 9,1988, at the Hamot Medical Center in Erie after an extended illness. She was born in Greenville, July 10, 1922, the daughter of the late Olef and Fannie Hall Miller. She was married to the late Ralph W. Palmer Jr., who died in 1954. She had retired from the Fisher Big Wheel store of Titusville. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Vincent (Sheridan) White of Ripley, N.Y., and Mrs. Fred (Beverly) Proper of Titusville, RD 4; one son, Charles W. Palmer of Miramar, Fla; three sisters, Evelyn Smith of Conneaut, O., Dorothy Hoagland of Conneaut Lake and Charlotte Culver of Greenville; and six grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one sister, Thelma George, and two brothers, Earl and Kenneth Miller. Friends will be received at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, Inc., 581 Chestnut St., Meadville, on Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral and committal services will be held there Saturday at 11 a.m., with Raymond L. Drowll, pastor of the Titusville Christian and Missionary Alliance Church officiating. Interment will be in the Greendale Cemetery, Meadville."³

     Albert Roscoe Chaffee was born on 3 September 1900 at Gowen, Montcalm County, Michigan.^2,3 He was the son of Franklin Lafayette Chaffee and Della May Miller.¹ Albert Roscoe Chaffee married Ethel Arlene Palmer, daughter of John Lawrence Palmer and Ollie Alvina Manning, on 23 May 1925 at Jackson, Jackson County, Michigan.^1,3 Albert Roscoe Chaffee died in June 1983 at Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania, at age 82.³

     Leonard Franklin Chaffee was born circa 1929 at Ohio.² He was the son of Albert Roscoe Chaffee and Ethel Arlene Palmer.¹ Leonard Franklin Chaffee died on 22 September 2014 at Erie County, Pennsylvania.