Becky Heitkamp
| Date of Interment or Death | 05/14/1955 |
|---|---|
| Location | Old Fairview |
| Section | C |
| Block-Lot-Grave | 16-5-3n |
Obituary
Child Falls Out Window on Sidewalk
Becky Heitkamp,3 Fractures Skull in Tragic Mishap
A 3-year-old Wahpeton girl died early Thursday morning at St. Francis hospital from injuries received when she fell from a second floor apartment onto the concrete sidewalk in downtown Wahpeton Wednesday evening. Becky Rae, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Heitkamp, died of a skull fracture at 2:05 a.m. at St. Francis hospital about six and a half hours after she toppled from the window when the screen gave way.
The tragedy occurred at 7:30 in the evening.
Becky and her 6-year-old sister, Kathryn were playing in the front of the Heitkamp apartment is at 514 ½ Dakota Avenue over Nielsen Electric Co. Mrs. Heitkamp who was working in the kitchen said that she heard the children playing and then Kathryn screamed. She came running to her mother saying, “Becky fell out the window.”
Mrs. Heitkamp said that a stranger saw her daughter fall from the window, picked her up and brought her upstairs. She said Thursday morning that she still had not learned the name of the man.
A local doctor was summoned and Mr. Heitkamp was called from work. He is employed by Cuff Construction Co., and was hauling concrete to a construction site in Breckenridge at the time.
It is believed that Becky may have been sitting on the arm of a davenport which is located next to the window. She probably leaned against the screen exerting enough pressure so that the screen gave way she toppled out.
The Heitkamps had lived in the apartment since February when they moved over from Breckenridge. Although a native of the Mooreton community, Mr. Heitkamp had been living in Michigan most of the time since he was discharged from the service after the last war. The family had moved to this area about a year ago.
Becky Rae was born in Detroit, Mich., Oct. 29, 1952. Besides her parents and sister, she leaves a grandmother, Mrs. Katherine Rahman of Washington, Mich.
Funeral service has been set for 2 p.m. Saturday in the Methodist Church here with Rev. B.B. Cutis officiating. Interment will be in Fairview cemetery with Vertin Funeral Home of Wahpeton handling arrangements.
Headstone photograph(s)
Location
Old Fairview is located on the southern half of the cemetery grounds.