Fred Vernon Bergquist
Marriages
Mary Kocjancec Bergquist
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - November 7, 1957
Fred Vernon BERGQUIST was born at Fraser, Colo. Oct. 13, 1914, to Josephine and William BERGQUIST. He lived at Fraser until enlisting in the army, serving during World War II in the Air Corps as a radar operator, three years in the China-India-Burma area.
During the time overseas, Mr. BERGQUIST's mother passed away. He was honorably discharged Dec. 7, 1945 after receiving the World War II Victory Medal, the American Defense medal, American Campaign medal, Asiatic-Pacific medal with two bronze stars. After his discharge he met and married Mary KOCJANCEC, and to this union two children were born, Russell Dale, 8 and Willis Giles, 3 who survive.
The family moved to Minturn in 1949, the same year that Percy BERGQUIST, half-brother to Fred, met his death in a hunting accident.
Fred died Oct. 30, a hunting accident victim.
Funeral services were held at the Presbyterian church in Minturn Nov. 2 by the Reverend John R. PORTER. Full military honors were conducted by American Legion Battle Mountain Post and VFW Post 8309. Services were under the direction of the Bowman Mortuary, Eagle.
Survivors, other than the widow and two sons are his father and step-mother, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. BERGQUIST, a sister, Evelyn, a brother William and a half-sister, Judy, all of California; a grandmother, Mrs. Ann PINE of Helena, Mont. and several uncles and aunts.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - October 31, 1957
FRED BERQUIST [sic.] KILLED IN HUNTING ACCIDENT.
Fred Berquist [sic.], 43 Minturn man, died instantly in a freak hunting accident near Wolcott Wednesday afternoon. A bullet aimed at a rabbit, pierced BERQUIST's [sic.] throat, killing him instantly about two miles east of Wolcott.
A heart-broken and badly shaken man told his story to Roy PEATE, Wolcott store owner, asking that Sheriff W. M. WILSON be notified. Zacarias SALAZAR 28, told PEATE that Salazar had shot his friend and hunting partner.
The two Minturn men, employed at the Empire Zinc mine at Gilman, planned the trip when they got off graveyard shift yesterday morning. BERQUIST [sic.] didn't plan to hunt deer, but carried a .22 rifle in case he saw a rabbit. He planned to flush out the deer for his partner. The two parted on a ledge in back of the Jeff Taylor ranch east of Wolcott, supposedly going opposite directions.
SALAZAR spotted a rabbit at a distance, and fired is 30.30.
When SALAZAR picked up the rabbit BERQUIST [sic.] lay a short distance beyond, gasping a last breath.
Investigating officers stated BERQUIST [sic.] had been standing on an old mine dump beyond the rabbit, when the bullet pierced his neck--he wore tan clothing with no red on his person, blending into the colorless October background of the hill.
Sheriff WILSON said there will be no charges filed, that in the eyes of the law, the shooting was purely accidental.
Mr. BERQUIST's [sic.] death is the second such hunting tragedy in his family. An older brother, Percy died Oct. 19, 1949, when a bullet from his own gun pierced his throat. Percy, who was 44 at the time of his death, was carrying his game, aided by Pete BURNETT of Minturn, when BERQUIST [sic.] stumbled and knocked the trigger off safety, discharging the bullet.
Fred BERQUIST [sic.] is survived by his widow and two small sons. The body is at Bowman Mortuary in Eagle pending arrangements.
