CALVERT, Willis Eugene - b. July 3, 1899 - d. December 1927

[genealogynut]

Howard Courant
December 22, 1927

Former Howard Boy Burned to Death Tuesday

Willis Calvert, Employed in Oklahoma, Meets a Terrible Death

W. T. Calvert of Howard, received a dispatch Tuesday morning from Sapulpa, Oklahoma, that his son Willis E. Calvert, employed by the Gilmore Oil Co., at Sapulpa, Oklahoma, had been burned to death early that morning.  Mr. Calvert and his son Harley at once motored to Salpulpa, Stewart Munsinger taking them in his car.  The body was brought to Howard yesterday morning, and funeral was held in the afternoon, with the burial in Grace Lawn cemetery.

The following from Tuesday's Sapulpa Herald gives the particulars of the accident:

Willis E. Calvert, Gilmore Oil company employee received burns which proved fatal to him and he died this morning at the Sapulpa hospital.

Engaged as a pipe line walker for the oil company 16 miles west of this city he was on his regular round when he opened a "blow off" valve on the pipe and left it open too long.  An explosion resulted and escaping gas from the pipe was ignited by a heater which had been placed under some of the tanks to keep the oil from freezing.

It is believed that Calvert was knocked unconscious by the explosion and he fell near the mouth of the pipe.  The flames playing about him burned his body, hospital authorities said today.  Though all efforts were extended to save his life, they proved futile.

Calvert was not located until after 12 o'clock last night.  At this time an employee of the booster plant, located near the pipes that Calvert was walking came to investigate the pipe flames.  His body was found, and it was at first believed he was dead.

Help was summoned and the man was removed with the utmost care and the Lewis and Landrith ambulance was called.  Despite the fact that he had inhaled fumes from the gas and has rested in a bed of flames, he fought for life until the zero hour this morning; but fought a losing battle.

Relatives of the dead man in Howard, Kansas were notified and word received from them asked that the body be shipped to them.

Calvert made the McCullough hotel his residence while in Sapulpa.

Willie Calvert was about 26 years old, was born in this county we believe, and is survived by his parents, a brother and other relatives, and a little daughter of four or five years of age.  He was a graduate of Howard H. S. and taught several terms of school in this county.   For some time he has been working in Oklahoma.

[genealogynut]

OBITUARY

Howard Courant
December 29, 1927

Willis Eugene Calvert, son of W. T. and Flora Calvert, was born in Elk County, Kansas, July 3rd, 1899, and died at Sapulpa, Oklahoma, December 20th, 1927.  He made profession of faith in Christ uniting with the Christian church in Howard under the evangelistic meeting held by O.L. Smith in 1917 and had since retained his membership therin.  He graduated from the Howard High school with the class of 1919 after which time he taught school at different in the county.  He was married August 1st, 1920 to Miss Gladys Moffitt to which union was born one little daughter.   He leaves to mourn his death his father and mother, one brother and the daughter; two sisters and one brother had preceded him to the Spirit Land, and hosts of dear friends here and elsewhere.  Willis was always thoughtful of others and made many friends as he went through life.  Although he was not privileged to be at home in the last hours, he died with friends around his bed to minister to him.  Funeral services were conducted from the Christian church wednesday, December 21, in charge of the pastor, W. B. McKinney, assisted by Rev. Bayles of the Baptist church, and interment was made in Grace Lawn cemetery.  The following friends of the deceased acted as pallbearers: M. M. Munsinger, A. E. Bendure, Forest Stone, Howard Gibbons, Frank Stewart, Willis Mason, and Rex Tarwater.  A host of friends and neighbors join in extending to Mr. and Mrs. Calvert and all the bereaved family most sincere sympathy and pray that the gracious blessing of Almighty God may rest richly upon them

[patyrn]

Willis Eugene Calvert was the first husband of Gladys (Moffitt) Young who was a longtime resident of Howard.  He was the father of Evelyn (Calvert) Hamilton.

[Ole Granny]

Worked with Gladys.  Such a sweet lady!