Girls
Last night I finished reading a book called Death Rides the Sky, a written account of the Tri-State Tornado of 1925. It got its’ name because it started in Missouri, moved across Illinois and finally dissipated in Indiana. Many small communities across those 3 states, including my hometown of Owensville, were involved.
The tornado ranks among the most deadly tornadoes in United States history. Nearly 700 people died and thousands were injured. My grandmother Elsie had 4 aunts who were in a home hit by the storm, and 3 of those aunts perished.
The wind
speed inside the tornado was estimated at over 300 mph. It remained on the
ground for over 200 miles, lasted over 3 hours and at times grew to be a mile wide. It
was so wide that many victims thought it to be a dark cloud approaching rather
than a funnel cloud. Unlike today it occurred when there was no warning system
and with a forward speed of 50-70 mph, it was upon communities before they could
recognize its’ danger and have a chance to seek cover.
It has been nearly 100
years since that day in 1925 and unlikely anyone old enough to have witnessed
the event is alive today. My dad was 15 years old the day the tornado
struck Owensville and would be 113 today. I don’t recall him ever speaking about the storm and my sister Jean agreed that she never heard any stories from him either.
It’s
another instance that I wish I had a time machine that I could go back to speak
to him about that day, along with thousands of other things I’d like to talk to
him about. I was only 32 years old when dad died and there were many other historical
events that happened during his lifetime, (the depression, WW II to name a few),
that I wish I could hear him tell what he recalled.
I began to realize there are
events in your mom and my life (the assassination of President Kennedy and the Vietnam
War, to name a few) that you or your children may wonder where we were and how we felt about
those events.
And one day, your children or grandchildren will want to ask you
about events, (such as 9/11), when they get older and wonder where you were and
what you remember of such things.
We are all a part of history, every day, and as we get older,
some of those pieces of history become of great interest to those who weren’t
there and want to speak to those who were.
Enjoy every day.
Dad
