Obituary notice for
Duffy Joseph Varner   26
Mar. 09, 1937   ~   Jul. 11, 1963


One man dies, two hurt in mine accident

      Duffy J. Varner, 26, 1336 Iowa St., an electrician, was killed and two others were injured in a shaft accident Thursday morning at the Steward Mine.

      Injured were Jerold W. Theidt, 26, machinist, 1008 Deleware;   and James E. Pidgeon, 29, machinist helper, 3007 Hannibal.

      Thiedt was hospitalized at St. James Community Hospital.   He reportedly suffered a hip injury.   The full extent of his injuries was not immediatly known, pending X-ray checks.   Pidgeon, who suffered a head injury, was not hospitalized.

      Varner, according to William Smith, chief safety engineer for the Anaconda Co., and County Coroner Andy Aleksich, suffered a skull fracture, crushed chest and arm fracture when struck by rock falling from a loading area on the 4,000-foot level of the mine.   Varner was on the deck of a "chippy" or auxiliary cage on the 4,200-foot level when the accident occured.

      Thiedt and Pidgeon were about to board the cage when rock from a "skp pocket" on the 4,000-foot level struck the cage and overflowed onto the 4,200-foot level.   Smith said the rock went into the shaft compartments and that the "chippy" cage was damaged and rock pressed into the cage.

      Aleksich said there probably will be no inquest, but that the coroner's investigation will continue with inspection of the accident site at 10 a.m. Friday.

      Varner, Aleksich said, had traveled from the 4,400-foot level to the 4,200-foot level to pick up Pidgeon and Theidt when the accident occurred.

      Varner's body is in the Wayrynen Funeral Home.   Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Ole Aarvold officiating.   Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Star Athlete

      The Butte young man was a former star athlete at Butte High School.   He was graduated from high school in 1957.   He was prominent in football and was one of the topflight guards and tackles of the state in his high school play, achieving all state honors in his senior year.   He also distinguished himself in track, winning district and state honors in that event.

      Surviving are his wife, the former LaVerne Larson of Butte;   a 20-month-old son, Scott;   his mother, Mrs Selma Varner (his father was the late Preston Varner);   sisters, Mrs. Betty Newguard and JoAnn Varner;   brothers, Larry and Richey Varner, all of Butte, and other relatives here and in other Montana communities.

      He was a native of Baker, Mont., and came to Butte with his parents when a small child.   He attended Lincoln Grade School.   Before taking employment with the Anaconda Co. last January, he was employed at Ossello's and for the U.S. Royal Tires.

Published in the Montana Standard on Friday July 12, 1963.
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