The Guttenberg Press, IA, Thursday, September 8, 1938, pg. 1, col. 6, and pg. 8, cols. 1-2

Alfred Pfiffner, 51, Killed Monday as Auto, Truck Met

Alfred Pfiffner, for 23 years a rural mail carrier, was killed instantly Monday morning while on his way to the wedding of his daughter in Dubuque when the car in which he was riding was side-swiped by a semi-trailer driven by LaVerne Sinkey of Dubuque.

The accident happened at 5:20 o'clock on the highway, just south of the Albert Felder residence.

Driving the Pfiffner car was Mr. Pfiffner's son Ervin. Also in the group was Mrs. Pfiffner and a daughter, Mary Jane. They were enroute to Dubuque where Miss Monica Pfiffner was to be married at 8 o'clock to Ronald Mentzler.

Holding Wedding Cake

Mr. Pfiffner sat on the left hand side of the back seat holding the wedding cake. They had driven only a short distance on the paving when they met the semi-trailer. It is owned by the Dairy Dispatch Co. of Dubuque. In the truck with Mr. Sinkey was his helper, Claire Maury of Dubuque.

According to Ervin Pfiffner, the semi-trailer suddenly swerved across the black line. He swung his car off the pavement onto the shoulder of the highway, but a corner of the truck's body nudged a gully along the side of the car, starting just above the front door and continuing the length of the automobile.

Truck in Ditch

The Pfiffner car continued down the pavement 200 feet before it was stopped. The truck slithered into the ditch on the east side of the road and turned over on its side.

Other than Mr. Pfiffner, none of the occupants of either machine was hurt.

A splinter of wood broke loose from the truck at the moment of impact, drove through the rear window of the car, and pierced Mr. Pfiffner's body just above the heart. He died instantly.

Born in Guttenberg

Mr. Pfiffner was born in Guttenberg Nov. 14, 1887, the son of Gustav and Augusta Pfiffner. He was 51 years of age at the time of his death.

After attending school here, he worked for several years in button factories here.

He became a substitute rural letter carrier in 1911, and in 1915 took over a route of his own.

Faithful

For a quarter of a century he has been known as a faithful and pleasant mail carrier, true to the highest traditions of the postal service. In winter and summer, in good weather and bad, he traversed his route whenever possible.

Survivors

Besides Mrs. Pfiffner, he leaves five sons, George, Herman, and Arnold of Dubuque, and Ervin and Alois of Guttenberg; four daughters, Monica of Dubuque, and Bertha, Delores, and Mary Jane of Guttenberg; seven brothers, Ed of Lansing, William and Raymond of Waterloo; and Joseph, Cyril, Leo and Roman of California; four sisters, Mrs. Harold Pendergast of Waterloo, Mrs. Regina Hellwig of Cedar Rapids, Miss Frances Pfiffner and Mrs. Roger Schmitz of California; and two aunts, Mrs. Bertha Kloser of Cassville and Mrs. Louisa Erhardt of Guttenberg.

Funeral services were held at 9 o'clock this morning in St. Mary's church, with burial in Mt. Olivet cemetery. Rev. J. A. Dupont, pastor, officiated at both rites.

Upon receipt of word of the tragedy, Miss Pfiffner postponed her wedding to Mr. Mentzer. New time for the event has not been planned.

Unavoidable

A coroner's jury, summoned by Leslie Oelke of Elkader, county coroner, Monday morning, returned a verdict of "unavoidable accident." The left front wheel of the trailer had come off, but it is not known whether that occurred before or after the two machines met.

The trailer was of the dual wheel type, so that, even if one wheel did come off, the other would support the weight of the truck.

Mr. Pfiffner's mail route now is being carried by Clarence Frommelt, his substitute.