Seymour Norton Lowther, 66, 620 Davis st., Milton, was killed instantly and his wife, Grace, was injured in an auto accident on U. S. highway 51 Tuesday afternoon just north of Ramsey, Ill. They had left Milton to spend a few weeks at Bonita Springs, Fla., where they were building a house. Mr. Lowther was a mason foreman for J. P. Cullen, Janesville.
The accident occurred at 2:30 p.m., a mile north of Ramsey as a semi-trailer truck attempted to pass the Lowther car on a hill. When the truck drew parallel with the Lowther car, a car approached from the opposite direction. The driver of the other car attempted to climb one of the high banks, but the car was hit broadside by the Lowther vehicle. Both cars were completely demolished. The other car, a Buick Roadmaster, was occupied by two police officers.
Mr. Lowther died instantly of chest injuries. Mrs. Lowther was taken to a Pana, Ill, hospital suffering from cuts and shock. Forty stitches were taken, mostly in her face. Her daughter, Mrs. Chester Smitley, Milton, left for Pana immediately accompanied by the Rev. Elmo Fitz Randolph and Walter Sayre. The Rev. Mr. Fitz Randolph and Mr. Sayre returned to Milton Wednesday evening. Mrs. Smitley remained at Pana with her mother who is expected to be a hospital patient there for at least a week. Mrs. Smitley, accompanied by her sisters, Mrs. Robert Durkee, Biloxi, Miss., and Mrs. Edwin Clocker, St. Paul, Minn., is expected to return to Milton Friday evening.
Funeral services for Mr. Lowther have been set for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the Milton Seventh Day Baptist church with Rev. Mr. Fitz Randolph officiating. Burial will be in the Milton Cemetery.
The family has requested that flowers be omitted.
Friends may call at the Phelps funeral home Saturday evening.
Surviving Mr. Lowther are his wife; three daughters, Mrs. Smitley, Milton, Mrs. Edwin Clocker, St. Paul, Minn., Mrs. Durkee, Biloxi, Miss.; four sisters, Mrs. J. Dwight Clarke, Milton, Mrs. L. F. Sutton, Winchester, Va., Mrs. O. A. Bond, Kent, O., and Miss Mildred Lowther, Salem, W. Va.; six granddaughters and six nephews.
Mr. Lowther had just completed his part of the work in supervising bricklaying on the new state laboratory being built in Madison by the Cullen firm.
