Workman Lives Two Hours After Accident

Clyde H. Usrey, 18, of El Dorado, died in St. Francis hospital Thursday afternoon, two hours after a heavy steel and concrete porch fell on him in the rear of the Broadview hotel.

He was working for the Powell Construction company, Winfield, helping demolish the porch, when it started to collapse. Other workers jumped clear. Usrey appeared to be clear also but as he turned to run around the hotel the porch hit him. He suffered a compound fracture of the skull.

Usrey was born in El Dorado Nov. 22, 1931, and lived there all of his life. He went to work for the Powell company three weeks ago.

Surviving are his mother, Mrs. W. D. Nix, Burwick, La.; father, Clyde W. Usrey, El Dorado; sister, Charlotte Jane Usrey, Burwick; grandmother, Mrs. Adeline King, 2034 South Hydraulic; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Usrey, El Dorado.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by Byrd mortuary, El Dorado.
(Wichita Eagle ~ Friday ~ July 7, 1950 ~ Submitted by Lori DeWinkler)

FALLING ROOF KILLS WORKER

A young construction worker was injured fatally in Wichita Thursday afternoon when a reinforced scaffold collapsed, causing a support to strike him.

Clyde H. Usrey, 18, of El Dorado, Kas., died in St. Francis Hospital two hours after the accident. He suffered a compound fracture of his skull.

Usrey was working for the Powell Construction Company of Winfield, Kas., helping dismantle a canopy roof, 75 feet long, t the rear of the Broadview Hotel.

Lee Critchfield of 537 South St. Clair, working with Usrey, said he was cutting supports holding the roof, and had warned other workers to stay clear. Usrey was attempting to place a hook around one of the supports when the roof collapsed.

Critchfield said a large slab of concrete struck the support which Usrey was trying to hook, causing it to crash down on Usrey.

Usrey was born November 22, 1931, in El Dorado, and had lived there all of his life. He went to work for the construction company three weeks ago.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. W. D. Nix of Burwick, La.; his father, Clyde W. Usrey, at home; a sister, Charlotte Jane Usrey of Burwick; his grandmother, mrs. Adeline King of 2034 South Hydraulic; and his paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Usrey of El Dorado.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by Byrd Mortuary of El Dorado.
(Wichita Beacon ~ Friday ~ July 7, 1950 ~ Submitted by Lori DeWinkler)

An 18-year-old El Dorado youth---Clyde H. Usrey---was fatally injured in a construction accident at Wichita shortly after noon yesterday and died in a hospital there about two hours later. He suffered a compound skull fracture and other injuries.

An employee of the Powell Construction company, Winfield, said young Usrey was helping to demolish a heavy steel and concrete canopy at the rear of the Broadview hotel, a segment of the concrete, about eight feet long and four wide, collapsed and fell on him.

J. W. Critchfield, 128 East Eighth, superintendent on the job, said that two other workers jumped clear. Although struck by the debris, Usrey was not covered and was immediately rushed to the hospital.

FIRST DAY ON JOB

Mr. Critchfield said the youth came to work for him five weeks ago. Yesterday was his first day on that particular job, however.

The El Dorado superintendent reported that the canopy was 30 feet long. He said that four persons, including his son and young Usrey were in the work gang and that he asked them to come down from the roof before demolition work began. They followed instructions and were standing a considerable distance away from the portion of the roof that was to be removed when the accident occurred.

Young Usrey was born in El Dorado on Nov. 22, 1931, and had lived here all of his life. He attended local schools and was well known by many of those his own age.

Survivors include his parents, Clyde W. Usrey, 107 East Tenth, and Mrs. W. D. Nix, Burwick, La.; a sister, Charlotte Jane Usrey, Burwick, La.; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Usrey, 923 North Gordy, and Mrs. Adeline King, Wichita.

Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon from the Byrd Funeral Home. Rev. LeRoy F. Arend, pastor of the First Methodist church, will officiate and burial will be in Sunset Lawns cemetery.
(El Dorado Times ~ Friday ~ July 7, 1950 ~ Submitted by Lori DeWinkler)

SERVICES HELD FOR ACCIDENT VICTIM

Funeral services for Clyde H. Usrey, who was fatally injured in a construction accident at Wichita, July 6, were held at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon at the Byrd Funeral home.

Rev. LeRoy F. Arend of the First Methodist church of El Dorado officiated at the services for the 18-year-old El Dorado youth. Jim Burns, Bob, Fred and Jack Greer, Harold Myers and Joe Requena served as pallbearers. Mrs. Fred Burr sang "Beyond the Sunset" and "God Will Take Care of You."

Interment was in Sunset Lawns cemetery.
(El Dorado Times ~ Tuesday ~ July 11, 1950 ~ Submitted by Lori DeWinkler)

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