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Show " Ed. R. Zirker Dies In Washington Railroad Accident ARCADIA (Special) The community com-munity was saddened Wednesday when they heard of the death of one of our friends and neighbors, Edward. Zirker, of Moses Lake, Wash. A tattered and torn pocket Bible found among the wreckage along the railroad track where Edward R. Zirker met death in a crossing crash at noon Tuesday, Jan. 4th, provided a funeral text. The Bible was carried 500 feet down the track from the point of impact and came to rest with its pages open. At the top of the right-hand page was this verse, "O. death, where is thy sting? O, grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor. 15:55. The Bible was first noticed by Howard Light, Arden farm truck driver, who called a reporter's attention to it. The accident occurred at 12:02 p.m. Tuesday at a Milwaukee branch line crossing on P.S.H.18, about 10 miles east of Moses Lake. Edward Zirker, 50, was driving a 1954 truck loaded with ten head of calves. He drove the truck right in front of the diesel locomotive and ten freight cars. Mr. Zirker was thrown clear from the cab and hurled about 45 feet, and apparently was instantly killed. The truck, which was reduced re-duced to a splintered mass of wreckage, was carried 775 down the track before the train could be stopped. The calves were all killed. Engineer Walter Krause and Conductor H. R. Freeman, of Maiden, Mai-den, said the train was traveling (Continued on page 2) Ed Zirker .... (Continued from page one) about 26 miles an hour at the time of the accident. The crossing is protected by flashing light signals and visibility is good in both directions. The road was dry. The train was going south, and Mr. Zirker driving a truck belonging belong-ing to his brother, John E., was driving east. Members of the train crew and State Patrolman Larry j Linnell, who investigated the ac-1 cident, were at a loss to explain ' the cause of the accident. John E. Zirker, brother of the I dead man, who lives about four j miles from the scene of the accident, acci-dent, was called to the wreck and i identified his brother. The body was removed to a funeral home , in Moses Lake. i Mr. Zirker was born in Payson, Utah in 1904. He lived most of j his life in Arcadia and Myton, I and moved to Moses Lake two years ago. He was a member of ! the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. j Mr. Zirker was married to Lu-: cille Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jay Smith of Myton. They were later divorced. He never remarried. re-married. It is believed his former wife lives in Salt Lake City, where she has remarried. Survivors include three children, 1 Evelyn, 15, Pamela, 12, and Eddie, 10, all of Moses Lake; and the following brothers and sisters: John Zirker, Warden, Wash.; Jul-1 ius Zirker, Moses Lake; Lawrence . Zirker, Southern Utah; Willis Zirker, Zir-ker, San Diego, Calif.; and Mrs. Warren (Elsa) Odekirk, Salt Lake City. Funeral services were conduct-! ed last Saturday, Jan. 8 in Moses i Lake, with burial taking place in I the city cemetery there. ! |