The Devasting Tornado of April 9, 1947 of Woodward, Oklahoma

Relief Agencies Fix Woodward Fatalities at 92

Woodward residents killed by the tornado, April 9, 1947, totaled 92 as compiled by the Red Cross, Salvation Army, state highway patrol:

Alfred Atwell Tom Baker Darlene Beaseley James Behler
Roy Brumley Johnny Gottschalk Catlett Mrs. Raymond Catlett D. S. Chance
Betty Cooley Lorenzo Coombes Mrs. Olin Croft Mrs. Bill Crowl
Bill Crowl Carl Cunningham, Jr. Paula Gayle Damon Fred Dart
Mrs. Lavina Davis Earnest Gaylord Davidson Roy Dean Dougherty Robert Harrison Duke
Eldeen Marie Fiel Eldon Bert Fiel Roberta Jean Fiel Mrs. L. D. Fiskin
Wilton Owen Grayson Beryl Grimm Mrs. John Gieswein Clyde Glass
Mrs. C. N. Godd Ann Hagerman John Hagerman Henry Harper, Jr.
Roy Lee Harper Monty Lawrence Harper Lou Ellen Harper Mary Hawk
Cliff Hayes Georgia Mae Hingston Sue Ann Houlette Jimmie Lee Hutchinson
Olan Hutchinson Treanadale Holster Georgia Irwin Mrs. Buck Irvin
Delores Alice Johnston G. A. Jordan Mrs. Mary Eliza (Dollie) Kezer Louis Knight
Mrs. Joe Kollar Catherine Kreger Mrs. Glendora Kreger Mrs. Ike Lafon
Mrs. Armanda Laver Elizabeth Ann Little Delmer Lee Long Albert Lukes
Patsy Lukes George Lucas Mrs. Eva Marie Main Mrs. Marion Marston
Merritt Richard M'Leran Charles Morgan Mrs. Damon Morrison Fred Morrow
R. T. Myers Thomas Noble Mitch Mrs. Flora Pierson Mrs. Pauline Pollard
Earle Pollard Ruth Porter Dottie Mae Rabe Mrs. Bertha Reed
Peter William Reith Albert N. Rosenbrook Clarence P. Rosendale Mrs. Bessie Scharnhorst
Ruby Carol Scharnhorst Leon Gene Schneider Al M. Schutt Beulah Mae Shidler
Mrs. C. L. Sparks Mrs. Cora Steed Dean Story E. V. Walker
A. J. Warringer Carol Diann Wingert Sam Wood unidentified child*
unidentified baby** unidentified child*
* Armstrong Funeral Home ** Chenoweth Funeral Home
Reported Missing by the highway patrol:  William Starn (50) Milton Owen and Joan J. Croft (4 1/2)
Source: Daily Oklahoman April 18, 1947 Page 4

Joan Gay Croft

On April 9, 1947 a giant tornado ripped through the town of Woodward. It traveled on the ground for 221 miles at a speed of 46 miles per hour, smashing, without warning, everything in its path. It has been described as one of the 10 most destructive tornadoes of all time, killing 185 people and injuring 720. Joan Gay's mother was killed by the giant storm, and her father, H.O. Croft, was critically injured. He was transferred to an Oklahoma City hospital. Joan Gay, with a splinter through her leg, and her sister, were found to have less life-threatening injuries than others seeking care, and were ushered to the hospital basement to wait as more critical injuries were treated. Her sister, four years older, reported that two men dressed in khaki work clothes came into the basement and carried Joan Gay away. Apparently due to the turmoil of the night, no one paid any attention to the little girl's protests. For a time it was thought perhaps the child was taken elsewhere for medical treatment. But as days passed following the disaster and damage was assessed and residents accounted for, Joan Gay did not surface on hospital lists or with any family members. The incident received nationwide attention, but Joan Gay never was found.





200 Blocks Of Rubble: Awful Mess
By Imogene Patrick (Daily Oklahoman Staff Writter)


Woodward, April 25---The bathtub came through in good shape--except its legs were gone.  So Mrs. Henry Skinner Friday searched through the mass of splintered lumber that April 9 was her eight-room, two-story house on Woodward's north side.  The missing bathtub legs might be there and she would have one more item for "the house we are going to build if we ever get this mess cleaned up."  The Skinners didn't save much.  There was a mattress and a floor furnace that might be usable.  An two quarts of milk stood upright and intact on the front stoop after the house was flattened.  But they are not complaining, Mr. and Mrs. Skinner, (he drives a truck for a laundry company) and four children, ages 5 to 10, were unharmed.  The fifth child, 3-year old Rita May, is in Crippled Children's hospital in Oklahoma City with a broken leg.

Like scores of other tornado victims, their chief concern now is to rebuild; to start all over again.  You find few persons here who are discouraged.  The survivors are all too deeply grateful for being alive.  The Skinners can finance the new home and furnishings.  But withinout assistance, it will be months before they can clean up the grounds, haul away debris, and get to the point where construction could be started.  All residents of their block are in the same situation.  And if you multiply this block by some 200 others razed by the storm you get an idea of the size of Woodward's clean up problem.  Wilson Riley, highschool principal and chairman of the emergency salvage committee, said the salvage work was in its eight day Friday and "I don't think it's even started yet."  To complete the job, he thinks the city will have to spend an approximate $60,000.  A part of the money being raised in the Woodward relief drive (goal: $500,000) would go for this urgent need.  Bulk of the work could be accomplished in 25 days, with 31 truck drivers, eight foremen, and 150 laborers on the job.  Riley believes.  Allowing $260 per day for maintenance of equipment (cost of repairing flat tires per day has averaged $25), he figures daily expense would run close to $1,500.

The task is complicated by (1) the dire shortage of common lagor and (2) difficulty in contacting property owners for permission to go upon their property.  Many families who fled the disaster scene have not returned.  During the days immediately following the tornado, as many as 275 volunteer laborers reported for work.  Their ranks have dwindled to an average of 100.  An Friday, 75 of these were members of the Mennonite religious sect who offered their services and refushed compensation.  They cam from Fairview, Orienta, and Cheyenne Vally, Okla., and Greensburg, Copeland, Galva, McPherson, Canton, and Montesuma, Kan.  Most of the Woodward volunteers have had to return to their jobs.  The highway department is still at work, furnishing its own labor, trucks, and a crane with clam-shell attached.  But highway department crews cannot go upon private property.  Thier work is confined to hauling trash from street sides.  Other equipment has been furnished by the war assets administration, Woodward must maintain and man these vehicles.  In use now, from WAA, are 24 cargo trucks, seven dump trucks, two passenger buses, one bulldozer, and hand tools ranging from crosscut saws to pitchforks.  WAA also is shipping to Woodward (and city pays freight on there items), five truck tractors, five trailers, one street sweeper, and two month patrol graders.

Riley also pointed to the tremendous damage done to the city's streets and roads by the heavy rains which came on the heels of the storm.  He estimated repairs to roads alone would cost $25,000.  A number of storm-evicted families can take care of their own salvage problem, Riley pointed out.  The city is mainly interested in helping the vast majority of dislocated persons of moderate means to get a fresh start; and to clear city property.  Streets have been cleaned, but the rubbish is still there.  It's just pushed aside.  While Riley talked at community building headquarters, he was interupted by a steady stream of property owners with requests for assistance.  "I want somebody to pile up a lot of lumber," said one elderly man.  And another, "I need somebody to pull up some stumps, I;m going to go ahead and clean the place out as best I can.  It may take weeks and it may take months."  The the woman who had just purchased material for new drapes.  Her house had to be rebuilt from the ground up, but, in the meantime, she said she had to keep busy.
Source: Daily Oklahoman April 26, 1947 Pages 15 and 16.





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