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Submitted: 11/9/21 • Approved: 11/9/21 • Last Updated: 11/12/21 • R467768-G0-S3
January 19, 1862-December 15, 1933
Father
Please see Kelley Family Marker
*Photo, courtesy of Edith Guynes Stanley
*Obituary
(Published in Amarillo Daily News, December 16, 1933)
Jeff Kelley, 73, a farmer near Wheeler, is dead and nine persons, five of whom are members of his immediate family, are injured as a result of a car collision early last night two miles from Glenrio in Oldham County.
Kelley's widow and his daughter, Miss Ola Kelley, both reported critically injured, are in a hospital at Tucucumcari, N.M.
Kelley's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Clayton Kelley, and his two small grandchildren, Kenneth and Zonell Kelley, are patients in Northwest Texas Hospital here.
All were occupants of a car driven by Clayton Kelley, who lives near Wheeler.
The others injured, all occupants of the second car, are patients in a Tucumcari hospital.
They are Mrs. L.C. Martin, Betty Jo King, Mrs. Brent Cosner and Mrs. Nettie Walker, all of San Jon, N.W.
None of the women in the Tucumcari hospital is believed to be seriously injured.
Mrs. Clayton Kelley is the most critically injured.
Clayton Kelley, the driver of one car, escaped injury, but is suffering from shock and last night could give only a meager account of the accident.
The Kelleys had been to Tucumcari to arrange funeral services for Boyd Kelley, son of Jeff Kelley, who had died there Friday morning.
It had been planned to hold the funeral services today at Borger and then proceed to Wheeler for the interment.
Paul G. Morris, who lives at the Hilton Motel in Lubbock, was one of the first motorists on the scene.
"Apparently it was a head-on collision," Morris said.
"I thought the other car came from a side road," said Clayton Kelley.
R.H. Hoskins of Beverley Hills, Calif., on his way east with his chauffeur was first on the scene.
Mr. Hoskins is partially paralyzed and suffering from heart disease. His car was loaded to capacity with luggage.
"I took the young man to a nearby farm house and helped summon aid." Mr. Hoskins explained to Sheriff Bill Adams, who questioned the California man following reports of motorists failing to stop and render assistance.
Whether Jeff Kelley was killed instantly or whether he died while being rushed to the hospital is not know. His chest was crushed and there was a deep scalp wound on the left temple.
Morris, driving a light sedan brought all of the Kelleys, except the two in Tucumcari, to Amarillo. Jeff Kelley was dead when the car reached Northwest Texas Hospital.
"Motorists headed toward Tucumcari picked up the other injured," Morris said.
Mrs. Clayton Kelley and her son, Kenneth, were rushed at once into the operating room of the hospital.
Zonell, smallest of the Kelley children, was bruised badly; but not injured seriously.
Hospital attendants at midnight reported none of the patients here was in an alarming condition.
Information received late last night from Tucumcari said Mrs. Nettie Walker was suffering from a fracture of the leg and that Betty Joe King, a child, was suffering from severe scalp and face cuts.
First news of the accident came to Amarillo in a message sent to Police Chief W.R. McDowell by the telegraph operator at Adrian, who advised a car carrying the injured was on its way toward Amarillo and urged arrangements be made to receive them since first aid had not been rendered.
Police Chief McDowell and Sheriff Bill Adams convoyed the car to the hospital.
The accident occurred at 8:15 o'clock and it was fully two hours before the car arrived at the hospital.
Almost hysterical with tragedy piled upon tragedy in his family, Clayton Kelley last night paced the corridors of Northwest Texas Hospital awaiting word about the condition of his wife and one child. The other child he carried in his arms.
"Please notify my people at Wheeler," he asked Horace Griggs of N.S. Griggs & Sons, undertakers.
"Can't we find out how my mother and sister are?" he pleaded.
Calls were sent to the family home in Wheeler and to the hospital in Tucumcari.
"We'll have to postpone Boyd's funeral," Clayton observed.
The body of Jeff Kelley is at Griggs & Sons chapel, pending funeral arrangements.
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(Published in Amarillo Daily News, December 17, 1933)
Contributed on 11/9/21
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Record #: 467768