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Show Memorial Services Held Here for Air Crash Victims Accident Occurs Because Of Flying Too Low; Both Buried In Kanab Memorial services held Friday and Monday afternoons in the South ward chapel paid tribute to two Kanab boys, Joseph Smith Johnson, Jr., and Van Blaine Cutler, who lost their lives as result of an airplane accident last Thursday, Oct. 1st, at 9:50 a. m., near Ivins, 8 miles west of St. George. Both boys were graduates of the Dixie junior college, and both had completed their primary flying fly-ing courses there under the C.A.A., Blaine Cutler having been one of the first ten to secure his private pilot's license in 1941. His license, however, had elapsed, but Smith Johnson held a valid license, having completed his secondary sec-ondary courses during 1941 at U. S. A. C, and had recently enlisted en-listed in the Army air corps, but was temporarily rejected for minor physical defects and was adding hours to his flying record in preparation for Instructor rating rat-ing in the military set-up. Both were rated as good pilots. The Taylor Cub plane in which they were flying was owned by Cutler, but was assigned to Johnson, while Cutler renewed his lapsed private pilot's license. Cutler had recently been assigned as a mechanic me-chanic at the local airport and would have taken over this assignment as-signment shortly. Flying Low . . In the accident, which occurred while the two were following a habit of flying low over Ivins and greeting friends there as 'they took off for the day's cruise. Flying low, as explained by Instructor In-structor M. J. Miles of the ground school of the Dixie college, col-lege, is not dangerous generally, if the pilots keep their eyes on the nose of the plane, but with their attention focused on the ground, the engine automatically slowed, and in making a steep turn they -were unable to recover sufficient speed to help them right the plane, which crashed into the ground. Smith Johnson suffered a broken neck and died almost instantly, but Cutler, whose legs were crushed, and who had fractured arms, a bad basal skull fracture, numerous bruises and other internal injuries, in-juries, lived until 9:10 p.m., Saturday. Sat-urday. The memorial services were conducted by E. Ellis Everett, bishop's counselor of the South ward, and college instructor, the programs for both services being arranged under direction of B. Glen Smith and John T. Woodbury. Wood-bury. The services for Smith Johnson were held at 1:15 p. m., Friday, Oct. 2nd. Musical numbers. included: Two selections by the college chorus, "I Need Thee Every Hour", and "O, It Is Wonderfull"; vocal solo, "The End of A Perfect Day", by Clive Hartman; and a trumpet' solo, "Out of the Dusk To You", i by Prof Earl J. Bleak. Presiding at the pipe organ was Paul Thompson. Jos. W. McAllister conducted the chorus numbers and Mrs. Bleak accompanied the trumpet solo. Speakers Speakers were Maurice J. Miles and Bishop Clifford Heaton of the Kanab South ward. Prayers were by Mathew M. Bentley and 1 A. K. Hafen of the Dixie college ' faculty. I Services for Van Blaine Cutler were held in the chapel Monday I at 1:15 p.m.. with E. Ellis Ever-1 ett conducting, and Paul Thomp-1 son at the pipe organ. J The college chorus sang. "The j Lord Is My Shepherd", and, "Abide With Me". Mrs. Irene ! Everett rendered a violin solo, "Cavatta", and Jay Huntsman j (Continued on page eight) Air Crash Yictims (Continued from first page) sang, "I Know That My Redeemer Re-deemer Lives". Speakers were Maurice J. Miles, Bishop Clifford Heaton of Kanab, Herman Gubler Jr., and Bishop Reuben Ence of Ivins. Prayers were by H. L. Reid and Earl B. Cottam of the college col-lege faculty. A large assembly of students and community friends marked each of the services. Both boys were praised by the speakers for their fine principles and habits of living, for their patriotic desires and preparations for service, for their marked abilities abili-ties as pilots, and for the contributions contri-butions they have made to the college and in their home town church and civic affairs. Both were recognized for their ex-huberance, ex-huberance, for their capacity to accomplish their assignments,' for their rich sense of humor, their friendliness, their courage, and their trustworthiness. Tribute was also paid to their respective families and much encouragement encourage-ment given in the hope of the reuniting of families for the eternal spheres of existence. Born In Kanab Van Blaine Cutler was born in Kanab, April 6, 1921, his parents par-ents being Russell G. and Hattie Mackleprang Cutler. He has always al-ways resided in Kanab, until he came to attend the Dixie junior college and has been active in the lesser priesthood work of the Kanab South ward. He graduated gradu-ated from Dixie college in May 1941, having acquired his private pri-vate pilot's license with the first ten students who took the C.A.A. course at that institution. On July 30, 1941, he was married mar-ried in the St. George Temple to Shirley Reber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest J. Reber of Ivins. Surviving besides h i s widow is one small daughter, Bonnie Lee Cutler, his parents; three brothers, Gordon M. Cutler, Cut-ler, junior supervisor at Hill Field, Ogden; Corporal Sidney W. Cutler, stationed with the U. S. Army at San Pedro, Calif.; Conway Con-way Cutler, and one sister, De-Loma De-Loma Cutler and an aged grandmother, grand-mother, Mrs. Margaret Mackleprang, Mackle-prang, all of Kanab. Also Born At Kanab Joseph Smith Johnson Jr., is a son of Joseph Smith Johnson Sr., and Anne Ford Johnson. He was born in Kanab, June 29, 1921. He had resided there and was active in church and music circles until coming to attend the Dixie junior college, were he was recognized for his music ability and took active part in that department de-partment of the college from which he graduated in May, 1941. He also took his primary training in aviation in . connection with the C.A.A. courses of that institution, insti-tution, later taking his secondary training at the U. S. A. C He was preparing for military service serv-ice in aviation when his death came. ) Surviving besides his parents, are nine brothers and sisters, he being the eldest . of ten and the first death in the family. |