PJQ PHOTOS
Mike's Burial
HINSDALE NEWS Sept. 26, 1935
Michael William Obach, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Obach of Hinsdale, died at Malta in the Mary Survant Hospital, Sunday afternoon at 3 as a result of injuries suffered Saturday night near Hinsdale when he was struck by a car driven by Martin Brown, Postmaster at Meharry
Young Obach was the driver of one of two trucks which were moving household property of the Obach family from their farm to Hinsdale, where they are moving for the winter so the children can attend school. As the trucks neared Hinsdale, they stopped on the side of the road. One truck, driven by the youth's father was on the outside of the road while that driven by the boy was on the inside.
Young Obach had stepped out to crank his truck and was standing directly in front of it. There were no lights in operation on his car, but there were headlights on the truck on the outside, according to Deputy Sheriff Charles C. Taylor, who made an investigation of the accident.
Brown, who was driving north on the road from Hinsdale, said he swung out for the lights of the truck which was on the outside of the road, not seeing that in front of which Obach was standing. He struck the truck head-on, crushing the injured boy between the machines. Obach suffered compound fractures of both legs and internal injuries. He was taken to the Malta hospital at once.
Did he Die in Vain ?
Editorial on Mike's death
Mike is buried in Malta Montana, where he had died from his injuries. With the help of Greg Kirkwood of Kirkwood Mortuary we were able to find the original funeral & burial records. They showed that the family paid for the funeral but not Mikes burial. As a consequence, the county paid for the coffin and the burial. As was the custom at that time, the county kept no cemetery plot records if they paid for the burial.
There was a section in the cemetery reserved for such burials. Some had stone markers but most did not. We found nothing for Mike.
Malta Cemetery. When Mike was buried it was Phillips County Cemetery.
This section was reserved for unpaid burials.
The earth sinks as the coffin below it collapses. Water pools in the sunken area making the grass greener.
I noticed the grave locations, (Lot No., Grave No.) were blank. The Style of Casket said 'County'. Mike was buried in an unmarked grave.
Mike was buried the day after he died. The family was in the process of moving when he was killed. This is the last photo of MIKE'S BURIAL. (click on link below to go back to TRAVEL)