JOHNSON, Michael D.: Died 1969

JOHNSON, BOLINGER

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 3/21/2020 at 14:01:28

**Handwritten: 1969

Michael Johnson

A former Mount Ayr resident became Ringgold County's third traffic fatality early Sunday morning, October 26.

Michael D. Johnson, 22, was fatally injured about 1:30 a.m. when the car in which he was riding went out of control on Hwy. 2. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Johnson with the class of 1966 at Mount Ayr Community High School.

The accident occurred when the car, a 1950 Ford, driven by Clark Bolinger, 19, of Creston went over the embankment. According to Sheriff Elbert Strange, Bolinger apparently went to sleep while driving west. The car veered across the middle line, moved down the shoulder on the south side of the road for about 150 feet before rolling down the embankment and flipping over to land on its wheels.

Johnson was thrown from the car and sustained head injuries. Bolinger, unhurt in the accident, walked to the Ralph Keplinger farm nearby to call Sheriff Strange. Both men were taken to the Ringgold County Hospital where Johnson died a short time later.

Johnson and Bolinger were roommates at Creston, where they were employed as trainees at a body shop.

Funeral services were held at the Prugh-Dunfee funeral home with the Rev. Ward Campbell officiating. Interment was in Hillsboro Cemetery, where military rites were conducted. Johnson had served in the U.S. Army for two years, including 18 months in Germany.

Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Johnson of Hillsboro are his grandparents.

Bolinger is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rex Bolinger of Garden Grove.

Source: "Slutts Book", Page 376, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA