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Shiner Gazette 19 Feb 1976
Melvin Alfons Kaluza, 45, of Houston, a native of Ammannsville, was killed in a nearly headon car-truck collision early Sunday morning, Feb. 8, 1976, 1.7 miles west of La Grange on Hwy. 71. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at Fayette Memorial Hospital in La Grange. Six other persons, including Kaluza's 10-year-old son, were injured in the wreck, none seriously, according to the account in Tuesday's (Feb. 10) Fayette County Record. The accident occurred at 2 a.m. between a 1975 Buick driven by Kaluza, eastbound, and a 1971 GMC truck-tractor driven by Jerry Lee Bates, 35, of Smithville, going west. Injured were Dennis E. Petras, 26, of Austin, Frank Cernosek, 41, of Rt. 3, La Grange, and Mark Kaluza, 10, passengers in the Kaluza car; and Bates, Arthur Louis Smith, 36 of Smithville, and Johnny C. Plearse, 25, of West Point, passengers in the truck. Funeral services for Mr. Kaluza were held Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 10, from Koenig Funeral Home Chapel and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Ammannsville, with Rev. Emil Wesselsky of San Antonio officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery. Mr. Kaluza was born at Ammannsville Jan. 27, 1931, a son of John F. and Annie (Belcik) Kaluza. He had lived in Houston the past 20 years, employed in the shipping department of Anheuser-Busch Brewing Co. Surviving are two daughters, Debbie and Teresa Kaluza and the son, Mark Kaluza, all of Tomball; five sisters, Mrs. Ed (Gladys) Thurman and Mrs. Robert (Pauline) Trefny, both of Houston, Mrs. Edgar (Annie) Hollas of Victoria, Mrs. Julius (Martha) Berger of Schulenburg, and Mrs. Ralph (Estelle) Poole of Lake Jackson; and a brother, Herbert Kaluza of La Grange. He was preceded in death by his father, June 4, 1963; his mother, March 8, 1971; three brothers, Edward Kaluza, Apr. 30, 1947; Emil Kaluza, Jan. 9, 1962; John Kaluza, Jan. 24, 1971; and two sisters, Mrs. Herman (Lillie) Demel, June 9, 1962; Mrs. Julius (Alice) Ermis, Dec. 4, 1973. Attending the services for their nephew and cousin were Mrs. Frank Winkler, Mr. and Mrs. Emil Wesselsky and Mrs. Robert Kurtz of Siner (sic).
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