Obituary - Donna Theresa Benke Birkenfeld

Donna Theresa Benke Birkenfeld

Born: July 16, 1948 Died: February 18, 1974

A 25-year-old Nazareth woman was killed and six other persons were injured in a grinding two vehicle collision one mile south of Nazareth on Farm Road 168 Monday afternoon.

Mrs. Donna Birkenfeld, 25, of Nazareth, was pronounced dead on arrival at Plains Memorial Hospital following the accident. Her husband Leslie Birkenfeld, 29, who DPS officers reported was driving the family car involved in the accident, remained in Plains Memorial Hospital in good condition late Tuesday night.

The couple’s infant daughter, Bridgett, five months, remained in the intensive care unit of Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo in critical condition at press time while their two year old daughter, Kirsten, was reported in good condition at Plains Memorial Hospital.

A nephew, nine year old Mike Birkenfeld of La Mont, Colorado, also remained in the intensive care unit at Northwest Texas Hospital in critical condition, while a second nephew, 10 year old John Birkenfeld, also of La Mont, was removed from the intensive care unit at Northwest Texas Tuesday night after being transferred there from Dimmitt Tuesday afternoon.

Another nephew, eight-year-old Phillip Birkenfeld of Nazareth, remained in good condition at Plains Memorial Hospital. All the injured were passengers in the Birkenfeld car.

The car-pickup accident occurred about 1:30 Monday afternoon about one mile south of Nazareth on Farm Road 168.

According to investigating officer Elias Nava, the Birkenfelds were headed west on a county road in a 1967 Ford Falcon when they collided with a 1972 Ford pickup driven by Francis A. Gerber, 42, of Nazareth. Gerber was westbound on 168 at the time of the accident. He was treated and released at Plains Memorial Hospital Monday.

Nava reported that the vehicles collided in almost the exact center of the intersection. The front of the pickup struck the right center of the Birkenfeld car.

The pickup came to rest 60 feet from the point of impact on the west side of the road in a ditch, while the Birkenfeld vehicle came to rest 120 feet from the point of impact in a plowed field on the west side of the road.

Funeral mass for Mrs. Birkenfeld will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) in Holy Family Church in Nazareth.

Born in Lawton, Oklahoma, Mrs. Birkenfeld was a former public school music teacher. She helped organize the Holy Family Church Christmas Pageant and directed its choir.

Survivors other than her husband and daughters include her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Benke of Lawton, Oklahoma; eight sisters, Mrs. Jim Hennessy of El Paso, Mrs. Henry Renschan of Geronimo, Oklahoma, Mrs. Gene Burk of Lawton, Sister Carlene Benke C.D.P. of West, Mrs. Dare Gueydan of Jonesborough, Louisiana, Angela Benke of Childress, and Mrs. Vic Hart and Mrs. Mary Benke, both of Lawton and two brothers, Charles of Lawton and Larry of Walters, Oklahoma.