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Updated: 06 Sep 2009
STECK, Glenn B. Rites Held Today for G. B. Steck Inquest Held Early Tuesday Reveals Gun-Shot Death Funeral services were held at 2:30 this afternoon in the First Presbyterian Church for Glenn B. Steck, world war veteran and former deputy county assessor, who was found dead in his automobile near South Heights Cemetery early Tuesday morning. Rev. C. D. Todd, pastor of the church, conducted the services and burial was in South Heights Cemetery. Investigation by county officers and a coroner's jury reveal that Steck drank a portion of the contents of a bottle of carbolic acid and then shot himself through the heart with a 22-caliber pistol. The bottle and gun were both found. A coroner's jury summoned by H. R. Croston, Justice of the Peace and acting coroner, returned a verdict of "death at his own hands," following an inquest held over the body about 9:30 Tuesday morning. Steck's body was found about eight o'clock by two cemetery workers as they reported for work. The body was slumped in the back seat of the automobile. Survivors include the widow, Blanche Steck; one son, Jack, a student at Coffeyville Junior College, Coffeyville, Kans. Three sisters, Mrs. Wakefield, Oklahoma City; Mrs. E. E. Nagel, Des Moines, Ia.; and Mrs. George Simmons, Sapulpa; two brothers, Harley Steck, Springfield, MO and Maynard Steck, Sapulpa, and one niece. Although no note was found with the body, it is believed that Steck was despondent over failure to find employment, as well as over the state of his health. He had recently returned from the veterans' hospital at Muskogee, where he received treatment. Speck left his house late Monday night to drive his automobile in the garage, but drove away from the house. He was not seen again until the body was discovered Tuesday morning. He had been deputy county assessor under Fred Patrick, and a water department employee during the administration of Don McMasters as mayor. He was formerly a member of the local post of the American Legion, having served during the war with Company B of the motor transport repair unit No. 315. He was born in Oakdale, PA, coming to Sapulpa in 1906 from Mount Pelier, Ind. Officers who investigated included Lew Wilder, Sheriff, and Ben Chandler, deputy sheriff, and Everett S. Collins, county attorney and Kenneth Hughes, assistant county attorney. Members of the coroner's jury were J. L. Knight, H. M. Ausmus, Gus Chambers, S. P. Smith, A. O. Lawson and Warren Shull. Pallbearers were Fred Patrick, Don McMasters, Carl Noble, Logan Seneker, Wade Purdin and Leonard Babb. Honorary bearers were Fred Virden, Sam Allen, Brice Hickey, Dave Vineyard, H. H. Dailey, Lew Wilder, Enos Pickett, Ben Grigsby, George Willibey, A. M. Allan, Maynard Babb, Fred Dyer, Arthur Chapman, Dr. T. R. Berton, Garrett Bowman, N. E. Michael, Van Nelson and B. J. Brahaney. |
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