Home > United States of America > Nebraska > Dundy County > Benkelman > Benkelman Cemetery > David Leroy Loker

David Leroy Loker

Birth	:	26 Dec 1943 Nebraska, USA
Death	:	7 Jan 1968 Benkelman, Dundy County, Nebraska, USA
Burial	:	Benkelman Cemetery, Benkelman, Dundy County, USA
Coordinate	:	40.0699997, -101.5318985
Inscription	:	SGT 4600 CIV ENGR SQ AF
Description	:	Two Dundy county brothers died on Sunday in an airplane accident 12 miles northwest of Benkelman. They were David L. Loker, 24, and his brother, Wayne, 20, only sons of Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Loker. The accident scene, south of the David Warning house, was six miles from the Loker family home. David Loker was the pilot of the two-place PA-11 Piper training plane which had been rented from the Packard Flying Service of Imperial where Loker was a student. He had earned his private license and was working on a commercial pilot license. The plane had been picked up... Read More	Two Dundy county brothers died on Sunday in an airplane accident 12 miles northwest of Benkelman. They were David L. Loker, 24, and his brother, Wayne, 20, only sons of Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Loker. The accident scene, south of the David Warning house, was six miles from the Loker family home. David Loker was the pilot of the two-place PA-11 Piper training plane which had been rented from the Packard Flying Service of Imperial where Loker was a student. He had earned his private license and was working on a commercial pilot license. The plane had been picked up at Imperial that afternoon and flown back to the Loker farm, where Wayne joined his elder brother. The plane's instruments indicated that the plane had been flown 36 minutes between the time of leaving Imperial and the accident. The time of the accident was placed at 2 p.m. There were no witnesses to the crash and Mrs. David Warning reported that the Warning family had not heard the plane. The accident was discovered by Sam Jones and Ward Felzien, who were coyote hunting and saw the plane on the hill south of the Warning farm home. Their investigation revealed the tragedy. David Loker, the pilot, is believed to have died instantly in the crash. He suffered multiple injuries of a critical nature. His brother Wayne was alive when the plane was discovered and was rushed to the Dundy County Hospital, where he succumbed at approximately 9:00 p.m. Although his injuries were also multiple, the cause of death was believed to have been the concussion he suffered in the crash. Both of the seats in the plane had been torn from the fuselage, indicating the violence of the crash. The accident was investigated by the Federal Aviation Agency and the Civil Aeronautics Agency. No conclusions were announced, but it was disclosed that the plane apparently struck the ground on one wing and on one of the landing wheels. The engine was apparently under full power as indicated by the damage to the propeller and the location of the throttle. In the speculations as to the cause of the crash, it was put forth that the optical problem involved in the loss of determination of the horizon could have been a factor. It is a problem brought about when the ground is covered with snow and the horizon is gray with clouds. The tragedy was a severe shock to the community, as both the boys and their parents, LeRoy and Melba (Johnson) Loker, were well known and highly regarded by all who knew them. Both boys attended Benkelman High School and David was graduated with the class of 1962, of which he was a popular member. Both boys, like their parents, were industrious and purposeful people and were attaining unusual success in the development of their farming enterprises. It was the family plan to have irrigated farm units for both the boys and the ambitions of the family were rapidly being realized. The tragedy was a sobering experience for the entire community and the source of great sadness. Funeral services were held at the Benkelman High School Auditorium on Wednesday afternoon with Don Egle in charge. Printed in the Benkelman NE Post, January 1968

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is David Leroy Loker's memorial?
David Leroy Loker's memorial is located at: Benkelman Cemetery, Benkelman, Dundy County, USA.
When did David Leroy Loker death?
David Leroy Loker death on 7 Jan 1968 in Benkelman, Dundy County, Nebraska, USA
Where are the coordinates of the David Leroy Loker's memorial?
Latitude: 40.0699997
Longitude: -101.5318985

Family Members:

Parent

Sgt LeRoy Leo Loker

(1920 - 1985)

Melba B. Johnson Loker

(1922 - 2004)

Siblings

Robert Wayne Loker

(1947 - 1968)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Benkelman Cemetery
Benkelman, Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0699997, -101.5318985

2. Max Cemetery
Max, Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0966500, -101.4184300

3. Pleasant Valley Cemetery
Benkelman, Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1483600, -101.6295700

4. Boston Cemetery
Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0886600, -101.3512900

5. Highland Cemetery
Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2056007, -101.4357986

6. Parks Cemetery
Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0978012, -101.7397003

7. West Union Cemetery
Hitchcock County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0600014, -101.2830963

8. Ash Grove Cemetery
Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.2421989, -101.3617020

9. Barley Cemetery
Wheeler, Cheyenne County, USA
Coordinate: 39.8655000, -101.6541300

10. Evergreen Cemetery
Bird City, Cheyenne County, USA
Coordinate: 39.8400002, -101.4856033

11. Mayflower Cemetery
Rawlins County, USA
Coordinate: 39.9006004, -101.3067017

12. Rose Hill Cemetery
Stratton, Hitchcock County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1623000, -101.2393000

13. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3149986, -101.5678024

14. Ough Cemetery
Ough, Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3213997, -101.5214005

15. Mount Zion Cemetery
Benkelman, Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3143997, -101.4366989

16. Hackberry Cemetery
Saint Francis, Cheyenne County, USA
Coordinate: 39.9180000, -101.8238100

17. Hiawatha Cemetery
Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3293991, -101.6532974

18. McCabe Cemetery
Stratton, Hitchcock County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0243000, -101.1735000

19. Saint Pauls Lutheran Cemetery
Dundy County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3490300, -101.5222500

20. Saint Johns Cemetery
Atwood, Rawlins County, USA
Coordinate: 39.9199982, -101.2052994

21. Bird City Cemetery
Bird City, Cheyenne County, USA
Coordinate: 39.7705994, -101.5175018

22. Immaculate Conception Cemetery
Rawlins County, USA
Coordinate: 39.8856010, -101.2217026

23. Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
Saint Francis, Cheyenne County, USA
Coordinate: 39.9439340, -101.8893690

24. Eden Cemetery
Hitchcock County, USA
Coordinate: 40.3222237, -101.3147202