One life was lost as a direct result of the twister when Mrs. Hugh Parks, 55, died before arriving at Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital, Frankfort. Her husband, who was with her in their home on Cinder Road in Homestead Township, was also taken to the Paul Oliver Hospital and treated for lacerations about the face and head and for shock.

Proceeded by a torrential rain storm and hail stones, the twister entered Benzie County near Wallaker Road. The first damage reported was at the Kast residence at the corner of King and Kast Roads. High winds uprooted trees and collapsed the chimney on the Kast home, causing a stove to explode. Portions of the roof were blown off, as well as interior damage. A trailer parked nearby was hurled nearly a half mile through the air before being dropped into the woods.

One of the most devastated areas of Benzie County resulted when the arm [tornado] dropped near the Lung Farm [Homestead Township]. Considerable damage was done to the Everett Lung farm, on the southern fringe of the swath and to the Wilber Nichols farm on the north fringe.

The home and farm buildings of Mrs. Clara Lung were reduced to splinters and strewed for nearly a half mile as the forward action of the storm continued. Household equipment, clothing, and furniture were reduced to small pieces and literally driven into trees on the side of Zimmerman [Road]. Following the leveling of the Lung buildings, the twister next concentrated on the Homestead Community Church, which was also completely demolished. Oddly enough a small pile of kindling at the rear of the church remained intact.

The tornado continued its eastward path, but the tail [funnel] jumped nearly a half mile before unleashing its fury again. This time the circular motion of the winds pulled large trees up by the roots and moved some nearly intact for great distances. It was then that the Parks home was struck. Here, again, the entire structure was wiped clean from the foundation and scattered in an almost endless stream of rubble. Due to the concentrated effort of the twister on the highways leading to the Parks residence, a considerable [amount] of the residue had to be removed before an ambulance could be brought near the scene to transport the couple to the hospital. Then the victims had to be carried nearly a quarter of a mile.

After leaving this scene the tornado snatched a tree here and there until it dropped again on the Earl Baker farm on Pioneer Road, causing considerable damage to the home and making off with nearly all the barn. An orchard nearby was lifted by the roots, but the trees were left as though they were moved by machine preparatory to replanting.

A snarled and twisted mass of timber was left on the Don Rockwell place. Debris blocked Pioneer Road for entire day until road crews could get it cleared. Glass breakage and other damage to the Don Rockwell home. A barn was lifted off the foundation, pulverized and scattered. A large building housing turkeys was completely leveled. A tractor and pickup standing nearby were also reduced to junk.

Two miles east of Honor on US-31 Mr. and Mrs, Rhodes quickly took their five children to a nearby well pit to escape the tornado. This action may have saved their lives. Damage was also heavy in the Lake Ann area. Fred Clawson's home was reported as a near total loss when the roof of the structure was lifted and deposited on the opposite of Bryan Lake, nearly one-fourth of a mile away. The only Lake Ann casualty was Lillian Gray, 81, who suffered facial cuts and was hospitalized at Munson Hospital, Traverse City.