Stewart Carl Bevis
Born: December 30th, 1956
Died: July 25th, 1973
Obituary
A 16-year-old Burlington boy Wednesday became Des Moines County’s seventh 1973 traffic death after suffering fatal head injuries when the 1968 Volkswagon Beetle he was driving flipped over into a ditch along Roller Coaster Road, three miles north of Burlington, just off US 61.
Stewart Carl Bevis, 1113 S. Central, son of J. Stewart Bevis, West Burlington, and Marion Bevis, 1113 S. Central, died in Memorial hospital’s emergency room at 4:35 pm, an hour after the accident.
A passenger with Bevis, Gretchen Elliott, 16, 622 Court, was listed in fair condition Thursday at Memorial hospital, with neck and shoulder injuries. Two other passengers, David Helling, 16, 805 South Seventh, and Peter Vinovich, 14, 706 Pine, sustained abrasions and were treated at the hospital and dismissed.
Des Moines County sheriff’s deputies said Bevis was eastbound on the graveled Roller Coaster Road when, at the top of the hill, he swerved to avoid a yellow westbound van driven by Raphael Leo Rosauer, 53, of Wapello.
Bevis’ car flipped over “two or three times” and he was thrown onto the road. The car came to arrest on its top in a ditch. The vehicles did not collide, deputies said.
Peter Vinovich told the Hawk Eye that the four friends were “just driving around” after stopping at McDonald’s for lunch when Bevis suggested they drive out to Roller Coaster Road, where the accident occurred.
“I was pretty shook up,” Vinovich said, “but I only got cuts and bruises. He said that none of the other youths was wearing a seat belt, but only Bevis was thrown out of the car.
Bevis had taken the front passenger seat out of his car and Vinovich was sitting on the floor. “That probably helped me not get hurt,” Vinovich said.
The funeral for Stewart Carl Bevis, 16, of 1113 S. Central, who was fatally injured in a traffic accident Wednesday, July 25, will be 2 pm Friday at First Congregational Church. The Rev. Arthur Krebs will officiate. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
He was born Dec. 30, 1956, in Philadelphia, and was a junior in Burlington Youth Council.
Surviving; His father, J. Stewart Bevis of West Burlington; his mother, Marion Stolley Bevis of Burlington; two brothers, Peter s. Bevis of Morning Sun and Robert S. Bevis of Iowa City; two sisters, Mrs. ale S. Price, Easton, PA., and Jo S. Bevis, Burlington; and four grandparents; Mr. and Mrs. Carl D. Bevis, West Chester, Pa., Mrs. Maye Bevis, Drexel Hill, Pa., and Mrs. SL Hagie of Burlington.
The body is at Prugh’s Chapel.