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Submitted: 5/2/22 • Approved: 5/2/22 • Last Updated: 5/5/22 • R510966-G0-S3
May 28, 1913-August 4, 1940
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Bippus
*Photo/information, courtesy of Mary (Coggin) Russell
*Obituary
Coming as a shock to the entire Panhandle, four young people of Hereford and an Amarillo business man met death at 1:50 a.m. Sunday in a head-on automobile collision six miles west of Canyon. The coupe in which the four young people were riding caught on fire and charred bodies of the victims made identification difficult.
The victims were Violet Bippus, 27 years old; Mary June Decker, 17 years old; Arvid Fancher, 21 years old, Welsh, Texas, who was working here; and Roland Faulkenberry, whose home was near Weatherford, but who was working at Jacobsen Bros; the Amarillo victim, who was alone in the other car, was Mark Taylor, manager of the Amarillo Division of the Phillips Petroleum Co. Hereford Phillips stations joined all others in the division and closed three hours Sunday for the services, which were held in Amarillo.
From gouges in the pavement, highway officers investigating the accident believe that the cars collided head-on in the middle of the highway. Exact cause of the accident was sealed with the victims by death. Mr. Taylor died instantly. The young people were pinned in the coupe by the motor which was forced into the cab. Two Amarillo youths who reached the crash scene soon after it happened, tried to open the doors of the coupe, which was already beginning to burn. The doors were twisted and jammed and wouldn't open. Flames forced the rescuers back. However, they said they could see the four persons and that there was no sign of life in the coupe. The Taylor car was going east and the coupe driven by Faulkenberry, was coming west. Force of the crash forced the coupe back 75 feet.
The bodies were removed about dawn but it was almost noon before identification was made. All bodies were taken to Canyon, except that of Mr. Taylor, which was taken to Amarillo. Sunday evening the body of Miss Bippus was brought to Hereford and that night the body of Miss Decker was also brought to Black's Funeral Home.
Funerals for the two men were held at their respective homes.
(Published in The Hereford Brand, 40th Year-Number 32, Hereford, Texas, Thursday, August 8, 1940, Page 1)
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The funeral services for Miss Violet Bippus, were held at 4 o'clock Monday afternoon at Black's Chapel, with Rev. W.E. Barnes, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiating, Interment was in West Park Cemetery.
Miss Bippus was born May 28, 1913 in this county. For the past four years she had lived at Mrs. A.D. Godwin's home and worked in many other Hereford homes. She was a member of the Baptist Church and was a regular contributor.
She is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Bippus of Bippus community; a brother, Herbert, who lives at home; one aunt, Miss Ernie Bippus of Amarillo; two uncles, R.A. Bippus of Denison and T.A. Bippus of Amarillo.
Pallbearers were Jason Luck, Charles Kropff, Jelly Hyde, Frank Newman, Ray Newman and Leon Williams.
(Published in The Hereford Brand, 40th Year-Number 32, Hereford, Texas, Thursday, August 8, 1940, Page 1)
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We take this means of expressing our gratitude to the ladies of the First Battist [sic] Church, to the LLL Sunday School Class, to those who priveded special music and singing, to those who sent the beautiful flowers, and to all others who helped us in any way in our sorrow.
From the depths of our hearts we pray that God's blessings may be yours.
The Bippus Family.
(Published in The Hereford Brand, 40th Year-Number 32, Hereford, Texas, Thursday, August 8, 1940, Page 3)
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Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982
Name: Violet Bippus
Gender: Female
Race: White
Age: 27
Birth Date: 28 May 1913
Birth Place: Deaf Smith, Texas
Residence: Hereford, Deaf Smith, Texas, USA
Death Date: 4 Aug 1940
Death Place: Canyon, Randall, Texas, USA
Father: Geo Bippus
Mother: Lydia Graeg
Contributed on 5/2/22 by neldapat
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Record #: 510966