grave import

Obituary

Michael James Birkenstock, 14-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. James Birkenstock, St. Louis, for Burlingtononians, died at Peoria Methodist hospital yesterday afternoon of injuries suffered in an automobile accident near Pekin, Ill., Sunday.
The infant’s parents still are confined to the hospital with injuries suffered in the accident, which occurred on a hilltop. An automobile driven by a filling station attendant allegedly pulled out of the line of travel near the top of the hill and collided hard on with the Birkenstock car coming over the hill, headed in the opposite direction.
The baby had skull injuries in addition to others about the head and chest. The filling station attendant also has a fractured skull and broken arm.
Mr. Birkenstock has a fractured breastbone and broken jaw; his wife has head cuts, a sprained ankle, and bruises about the body; and her brother, Denzell Hale of St. Louis and formerly of this city, suffered head and back injuries in the crash.
The Birkenstocks, accompanied by Hale, were en route from St. Louis to Peoria, where they planned to leave their son with his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ross Hale, while they went to Wisconsin, on a fishing trip.
Mrs. Birkenstock is the former Jean Hale. Her parents formerly resided here. Mr. and Mrs. James Birkenstock moved from here to St. Louis three years ago. He is connected with the International Business Machine company there.
Funeral services will be held from S.t Paul Catholic church at 10:30 am Friday. The body will be brought to the Burnett-Wallen funeral home here Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Birkenstock plan to come here Friday morning in an ambulance, to attend their baby’s funeral. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
Roy Birkenstock of Burlington, brother of James, said today that the charges probably will be filed against the other driver whose condition has prevented this so far. The former was called to Peoria yesterday. He made the funeral arrangements today.