Grandma Dedafoe's Scrapbook
Crash Kills Cyclist, 23
Eaton Rapids Father Runs Into Side of Loaded Gravel Truck
A young Eaton Rapids father was killed at 7:20 a.m. Tuesday when his motorcycle
crashed into the side of a loaded gravel truck at the intersection of highway M-99 and the Holt-
Dimondale rd.
State police said the victim was Jack WATKINS, 23, who lived just north of Eaton
Rapids on highway M-99. He was on his way to work at Reo Motors, Inc.
Watkins, according to investigators, was cycling north on the highway, and
ignored a flagman's signal to stop, running into a west-bound gravel truck driven by Jerry
VanDorpe, 18, of R. 3, Charlotte.
Failed to Stop
VanDorpe,officers said, was driving the heavily-loaded truck and had slowed for
the intersection, where he was flagged on by a guard, Lemuel Anderson, of R. 4, Eaton Rapids.
As the truck started into the highway, Flagman Anderson was waving frantically at
Watkins in an attempt to stop him, but, Anderson told state police, the youth kept coming at high
speed and did not stop.
Graveling and grading work was under way on the Holt-Dimondale rd. at the time of
the accident. VanDorpe's truck was en route to deposit a load of gravel on the road when the
fatal crash occurred. The construction work is being one by the Ham-Timmer and Velting
Construction company of Grandville.
The fatality was investigated by Coroner M. Donald Burkhead of Eaton county. The
body was taken to the Berl Fields funeral home in Dimondale, where arrangements will be made.
Officers said Watkins is survived by the widow, Helen; a 15-month-old son son, Robert, and
Watkins' parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur WATKINS of Dimondale. The body was brought to the Gorsline-
Runciman funeral home.
Back to Obituary Index J thru Y