Idaho County Free Press

Wednesday, July 14, 1976

Services Held For Air Crash Victims,

Ronald Vanderwall and Son, Jackson

  Funeral services for Ronald C. Vanderwall, 34, and son, Henry Jackson Vanderwall, 5, were held at the Prairie View Cemetery, Grangeville, July 13, 1976 at 2 o'clock with the Rev. William Dawkins, Orofino Baptist Church, officiating.

  Vanderwall and his son were killed in an airplane crash January 15, 1976.

  Ronald Vanderwall was born in Grangeville February 13, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vanderwall.  He attended grade school and three years of high school in Grangeville.  He moved to Sunnyside, Washington with his parents where he graduated high school.  He entered the U.S. Army in 1961 and served for two years. 

  After the service, he moved to California and entered the Northrop Technical School.  After this schooling, he moved to Reno and took his Flight Training.

  He moved to Alaska in 1968 where he worked as a pilot until 1972.  He moved to Orofino in 1972, living there until 1974 when he went back to Alaska for the summer.  He returned to Orofino where he took the position of Operator-Manager of the Orofino Airport.

  He married Joan Davis in Quincy, Washington June 26, 1965.

  Henry Jackson Vanderwall was born in Soldotna, Alaska July 18, 1970.  He moved to Orofino with his parents in 1971 and lived there until his death.

  Survivors include his mother at the family home; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vanderwall of Orofino and Mr. and Mrs. Roland Davis of Soldotna, Alaska; a brother, Jason, and a sister, Melissa, at home.

  Survivors of Ronald include his widow; parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vanderwall; two sisters, Mrs. Sheri Russell, Yreka, California and Mrs. Sally Mounts of Happy Camp, California; a son, Jason, and a daughter, Melissa, at home.

  Hansen-Noland Funeral Home were in charge of arrangements.

  The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Search and Rescue Squad, Dept. of Aeronautics, Boise, Idaho.

Vanderwall Plane Wreckage Discovered

 

  The wreckage of a single engine Bellanca airplane, missing since January 15, 1976, was found July on a ridge of Junction Mountain in the Kelly Creek area of Clearwater County, Clearwater County Sheriff, Nick Albers, said.

  An individual manning the Junction Mountain lookout was out hiking on his day off when he noticed the wreckage and notified authorities, Albers said.

  The bodies of the planes occupants, found at the site of the wreckage, were transported out to Gilbert's Funeral Home in Orofino.  They were Ronald Vanderwall, 34, Orofino, his five year old son, Henry Jackson Vanderwall, and Charles Kennedy, 57, Kooskia.

  Albers said the bodies were not in the plane, but investigators revealed that the three occupants were killed upon impact.  He said the Federal Aviation Authority and the National Air Traffic Safety Board were into the crash site Monday.  According to their findings, the plane was in a left bank when it hit the hillside, Albers said.

  The wings were totally destroyed, but the fuselage was pretty much intact.

  The investigation has concluded, but authorities are still working on piecing things together to finalize the report.

  Note:: In the January issue regarding the disappearance of the plane, Mr. Kennedy was stated to be the pilot. 

Submitted by Chris Cornett

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