Robert Lee "Bob" STEVENSON
Marriages
Elizabeth Schneff Stevenson - August 10, 1951
in Leadville
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - December 11, 1952
Military Funeral Held for Accident Victims A military funeral was given Kenneth Anderson and Robert Stevenson who died when the car in which they were riding went into the Colorado River, 10 miles east of Glenwood Nov. 30. Three other persons, Elma Smelcer, mother-in-law to Mr. Stevenson; and Charlotte and Frances Martinez, Glenwood sisters, also lost their lives. Search for their bodies was abandoned Tuesday night, by four Navy divers, flown in from Great Lakes, Ill. to aid in search of the river bottom. The Gypsum men had been inseparable pals since early childhood. Robert Lee Stevenson was born at Atwood, Kansas, May 29, 1922, to Mr. and Mrs. Noble Stevenson. He grew to manhood on the Stevenson ranch near Gypsum, attending the Gypsum Valley rural school and the Gypsum town school, serving in the Army Air Force in World War II. He joined the service April, 1943, and served overseas in England and France with an airborne division. When he received his discharge he returned to the family ranch to enter business with his father. Aug. 10, 1951, Bob was married in Leadville to Elizabeth Schneff. A son was born to the young couple the day before the father's death. He is survived by his wife, Betty, one step-son Johnny, and infant son, Stephen Gene; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Noble Stevenson, Gypsum; a sister, Lois and a brother-in-law, Dean Walker, a niece and nephew, Karen Sue and Larry Dean of Grand Junction; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Stevenson of Tacoma, Wash., and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. L. E. Thompson of Atwood, Kans. Relatives able to be present the the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hoover and Etta Bacon of Atwood; Mr. and Mrs. Friend Stevenson, and family of Tribune, Kans. Kenneth B. Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson was born at Gypsum July 22, 1922. He attended grade and high school there, taking an active part in school sports. After finishing school, he spent several years as a range rider and entered military service with his boyhood friend, Bob Stevenson, in April, 1943. He was wounded in Germany, and received the Purple Heart. He received his discharge Aug. 5, 1945. He returned to his work as a range rider, coming back to his home town from the service. He is survived by his parents; one sister, Joyce Walcher and her husband, Ernest Walcher, a nephew, Danny and a niece, Janet; also his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Christine Anderson of Tacoma, Wash. Out of town relatives attending the funeral were Wm. Ferguson and son, Lewis of Portola, Calif., Mr. and Mrs. Bob Proctor and Glen Lewis of Greeley. The Burdge Mortuary of Glenwood Springs, assisted by Bowman Funeral Chapel of Eagle, were in charge of burial. Rev. Delbert Paulson of the Methodist Church delivered the funeral sermon and the military funeral was conducted by Eagle River Valley Post 150, American Legion.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - December 4, 1952
Bob Stevenson--Kenneth Anderson Killed in Tragic Accident Two Gypsum young men, who went through school together, joined the army together, and who had been inseparable pals, died together in a tragedy which took the lives of three other persons in Glenwood Canon Saturday night. Friday they will be buried together, when military services are held in their home town. Robert Stevenson and Kenneth Anderson, both 30, died in a car crash, near Hanging Lake sometime Saturday night, when the car driven by Mel Montano of Eagle, crashed through guard rails into ice covered Colorado river, carrying five persons to their death. In the car were Mr. Stevenson's mother-in-law, Mrs. Ella Smelcer also of Gypsum and Frances and Charlotte Martinez, Glenwood Springs sisters. Montano is in a critical condition in a Glenwood hospital, suffering from pneumonia, fractured shoulders and broken ribs. Mr. Stevenson and Mrs. Smelcer had been in Glenwood wtih Mrs. Stevenson who had given birth to a son Saturday in a Glenwood hospital. With their car broken down, they found a ride back to Gypsum with Mr. Montano, Kenneth Anderson and the two Martinez girls. Montano told Garfield county officers that the lights on his car went out on the curve just east of Hanging Lake, and he lost control. The car, according to District Attorney Robert Delaney smashed through four guard rail posts, hurtled 36 feet through the air and crashed through 18 inches of ice. The driver escaped from the car, and according to his statement, was refused a ride by a passing motorist. He walked back to Hanging Lake, where he sought refuge with a sheepherder in a cabin near the main residence at Hanging Lake. He stated that when he told the sheepherder his car was in the river, the man said they would look into the accident in the morning. Hanging Lake Cafe is closed for the winter season, but the liquor store and filling station is still operated and the owners live in a house near the place of business and the sheepherders cabin. When the two men awoke about 9 a.m., the accident was reported and the tragic death of Montano's five passengers was discovered. Mr. Stevenson's body was found half out of the water, near the river bank. He had removed his trousers and shoes in his attempt to swim to shore. The car was located and raised Monday, and Mr. Anderson's body was found in the back seat. A search, in which a professional diver from Casper, Wyo. joined, was conducted throughout the week by the state patrol and Garfield county officers, in a fruitless attempt to recover the bodies of the three women. The search was abandoned tonight. Charges of manslaughter and reckless driving have been filed against Montano who admitted having "a few beers" before leaving Glenwood for the return trip to his home in Eagle. He has a wife and three small children. A double military funeral will be conducted in Gypsum Friday afternoon at the American Legion Hall for Bob and Kenneth, and they will be buried in Gypsum. The boys are both only sons--Bob, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Noble Stevenson of Cottonwood, prominent county ranchers. He is survived by his wife, Betty; a small stepson, his new son, and a sister. Kenneth is the son of Lily Anderson and John Anderson of Gypsum, and is survived by his parents and a sister, Joyce
