Ramona Nelson Broste: 52 Ancestors Prompt "Tragedy"

Ramona Nelson Broste: 1928-1962

            My paternal first cousin, Ramona Nelson, died in a tragic auto accident in 1962 that also took the life of her youngest daughter. 


            Ramona was born December 21, 1928 to Joseph Nelson and Ovedia Peterson Nelson. She was the oldest of their five children, and grew up first on a farm place in Watonwan County near Madelia, Minnesota, and then on a farm in Linden Township in Brown County near Hanska. Her father Joe worked as a farm laborer during those years. Eventually Joe got a job as the police officer in the town of Hanska, and the family moved into town, buying a small house at the edge of Ovedia’s brother Oscar’s property.

                                      Ramona, Joel, Noren and Janice Nelson--1940s

Ramona graduated from Hanska High School, where she met local boy Burton Broste, who was a couple years older than her. They married in November of 1947 (the marriage license is dated November 10, but I haven’t found the actual marriage record yet) when Ramona was 18.

                                            Ramona and Burton Broste Wedding Photo Nov. 1947

Their first child, Raydell, was born May 22, 1948, their son Gary on January 20, 1951, and their third child, Cheryl, was born February 17, 1953. The Broste family initially lived in Hanska, but eventually moved to Worthington, Minnesota.

The Nelson family in the 1950s: Ovedia, Angela and Joe in front, Janice, Noren, Joel and Ramona in the back row.

Cheryl Broste had Downs Syndrome, and the family eventually enrolled her in a special residential school for developmentally disabled children located in Beatrice, Nebraska. I believe it was called the Beatrice State Home. 

                                     Beatrice State Home in Nebraska in 1963

In December, 1961, the Broste family brought Cheryl home to Worthington for the Christmas holidays. On January 7, 1962, Burton and Ramona started the long drive back to Nebraska to return Cheryl, age 9, to the Beatrice State Home. Another student at the school, Nancy Ness, 12, of Canby, Minnesota, rode with them. A friend of the Brostes from Worthington, Mrs. James Gay, also joined them on the trip.

At 8:30 in the morning, on Highway 33 just outside of Lemars, Iowa, Burton’s car struck a patch of ice on the snow-packed road. He lost control and his car slid into oncoming traffic and was struck by a car driven by a couple from Merrill, Iowa, James and Gretchen Ortmann. 

Cars in those days were heavy and lacked safety equipment like seat belts. Fortunately, the Ortmanns suffered only bruises and broken bones, but the passengers in the Broste car were not so lucky. The two children and Mrs. Gay were killed instantly. Ramona suffered severe head trauma and Burton had chest injuries. They were taken by ambulance to a hospital in Orange City, Iowa, where Ramona died from her injuries a week later on January 15, 1962, having never regained consciousness. She was only 33 years old.

Burton was able to recover and return home to care for his children. Ramona’s older children were only 13 and 10 when Ramona and Cheryl were killed. Such a tragic loss for Burton, his children, and the Nelson family.