Marion Blaul
Born: May 12th, 1906
Died: December 13th, 1950
Obituary
Mrs. Marion Blaul, about 40, widow of the late John L. Blaul, prominent Des Moines County farmer, was found dead in the carbon-monoxide-filled garage at her home, 1722 Pine Street, early Wednesday afternoon.
Coroner RO Giles held that the death was a suicide, and said there would be no inquest.
A fire department inhalator squad tried unsuccessfully to revive her, working more than 30 minutes before abandoning the effort.
She was found slumped over the wheel of her car by Charles Zaiser, superintendent of public safety, and Officer Francis Koenig who answered a call to police from Harold Detterer, 1726 Pine street, next-door neighbor.
Zaiser and Koenig said the left front door was open and her feet were partly out of the car. Upon discovering the body, they called for the inhalator squad.
Detterer said he heard the motor of the car running and noted that the garage door was closed. He went to the front door of the home, saw that the mail had not been taken inside the house. He returned to the garage and opened the door. A wave of carbon monoxide fumes came out, and he called the police.
Mrs. Blaul, in October, was named area field representative of Iowa Tuberculosis association for the district after resigning as president of the local organization. He was an active member of the Des Moines County Farm Bureau for 5 years and had served on the board of health since 1946. She received her secondary education in El Paso, Tex., and then attended Finch Junior college in New York City.
Her husband, John Louis Blaul died in June of this year. The family formerly lived near Yarmouth and Mrs. Blaul and her son and daughter moved to the Pine Street home about 2 months ago.
Survivors include a son, Louis of Burlington, and a daughter, Joan, attending the State University of Iowa, and her mother, Mrs. John Hurd of Burlington.
The body was taken to Burnett Wallen funeral home. Services will be held from the Funeral Home Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. Bruce Masselink officiating. Interment in Aspen Grove cemetery will be private.