EX-AREA WOMAN GIVES LIFE TO SAVE HER FIVE CHILDREN
The telegram, delivered to Mrs. Kenneth Palmer of 1055 Mt. Aetna Road on the evening of May 7th read, "My deepest sympathy … for Barbara's brave and courageous act." The message was sent to Mrs. Palmer by Raymond P. Fontaine, a fireman in Woonsocket, R.I. who had been one of many firefighters who watched Mrs. Palmer's 23-year-old daughter, a pregnant mother of five children, fall to her death after rescuing her children from their burning home on May 5th. Fontaine had a special reason for his admiration of Barbara Mason. Just moments before she fell from a third floor window of her home, she had dropped her 20-month-old daughter, Karen Marie, into the arms of Fontaine. The child landed uninjuried.
Mrs. Mason, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Palmer had lived in Woonsocket for six years. She was born in nearby Waynesboro, Pa., raised in Hagerstown, and attended the Washington Street Schoo.
She lived with her husband, Morris M. Mason, 30, and their five children – Douglas Eugene, 5; Kathy Ann, 10; Karen Marie, 20 monthsl Laurie Jean, 4; and Georgia Ann, 3 – in a four story frame house in Woonsocket.
Five-year-old Douglas told Fire Prevention Bureau officials that he and a friend had been playing in a shed formerly used for oil barrel storage, where the fire started. Douglas told officials he had to pull his friend from the burning shed. As fire raced through the Mason's third-floor apartment, officials said, Mrs. Mason rushed her four older children out of the burning home, and returned to the third floor to bring out 20-month-old Karen. Apparently finding herself trapped by the spreading flames she dropped Karen from the third-floor window into the waiting arms of Fontaine.
Officials have surmised that Mrs. Mason was overcome by the dense smoke and fell from the window to the ground below. She was rushed to the hospital where she died shortly after of what doctors described as "multiple external and internal injuries."
The five children returned to Hagerstown to reside "at least temporarily" with their grandparents, the Palmers.
Source: Morning Herald (Hagerstown, MD) May 12, 1966
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MRS. BARBARA ELIZABETH MASON, 23, Woonsocket, R.I., died following injuries from a fire which destroyed her home on Wednesday. She was the daughter of Kenneth and Helen Rowyer Palmer of Hagerstown. She was a member of Calvary Brethren Church, Hagerstown.
Besides her parents she is survived by husband, Morris M. Mason; children, Kathy Ann, Douglas Eugene, Laurie Jean, Georgia Ann and Karen Marie, all at home; sister, Mrs. Edith Hosek, Hagerstown; maternal grandfather, Samuel Rowyer, Cockeysville.
The body will be brought to Rest Haven Funeral Chapel today. Burial in Rest Haven Cemetery.
Source: Morning Herald (Hagerstown, MD) May 6, 1966
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The telegram, delivered to Mrs. Kenneth Palmer of 1055 Mt. Aetna Road on the evening of May 7th read, "My deepest sympathy … for Barbara's brave and courageous act." The message was sent to Mrs. Palmer by Raymond P. Fontaine, a fireman in Woonsocket, R.I. who had been one of many firefighters who watched Mrs. Palmer's 23-year-old daughter, a pregnant mother of five children, fall to her death after rescuing her children from their burning home on May 5th. Fontaine had a special reason for his admiration of Barbara Mason. Just moments before she fell from a third floor window of her home, she had dropped her 20-month-old daughter, Karen Marie, into the arms of Fontaine. The child landed uninjuried.
Mrs. Mason, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Palmer had lived in Woonsocket for six years. She was born in nearby Waynesboro, Pa., raised in Hagerstown, and attended the Washington Street Schoo.
She lived with her husband, Morris M. Mason, 30, and their five children – Douglas Eugene, 5; Kathy Ann, 10; Karen Marie, 20 monthsl Laurie Jean, 4; and Georgia Ann, 3 – in a four story frame house in Woonsocket.
Five-year-old Douglas told Fire Prevention Bureau officials that he and a friend had been playing in a shed formerly used for oil barrel storage, where the fire started. Douglas told officials he had to pull his friend from the burning shed. As fire raced through the Mason's third-floor apartment, officials said, Mrs. Mason rushed her four older children out of the burning home, and returned to the third floor to bring out 20-month-old Karen. Apparently finding herself trapped by the spreading flames she dropped Karen from the third-floor window into the waiting arms of Fontaine.
Officials have surmised that Mrs. Mason was overcome by the dense smoke and fell from the window to the ground below. She was rushed to the hospital where she died shortly after of what doctors described as "multiple external and internal injuries."
The five children returned to Hagerstown to reside "at least temporarily" with their grandparents, the Palmers.
Source: Morning Herald (Hagerstown, MD) May 12, 1966
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MRS. BARBARA ELIZABETH MASON, 23, Woonsocket, R.I., died following injuries from a fire which destroyed her home on Wednesday. She was the daughter of Kenneth and Helen Rowyer Palmer of Hagerstown. She was a member of Calvary Brethren Church, Hagerstown.
Besides her parents she is survived by husband, Morris M. Mason; children, Kathy Ann, Douglas Eugene, Laurie Jean, Georgia Ann and Karen Marie, all at home; sister, Mrs. Edith Hosek, Hagerstown; maternal grandfather, Samuel Rowyer, Cockeysville.
The body will be brought to Rest Haven Funeral Chapel today. Burial in Rest Haven Cemetery.
Source: Morning Herald (Hagerstown, MD) May 6, 1966
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EX-AREA WOMAN GIVES LIFE TO SAVE HER FIVE CHILDREN
The telegram, delivered to Mrs. Kenneth Palmer of 1055 Mt. Aetna Road on the evening of May 7th read, "My deepest sympathy … for Barbara's brave and courageous act." The message was sent to Mrs. Palmer by Raymond P. Fontaine, a fireman in Woonsocket, R.I. who had been one of many firefighters who watched Mrs. Palmer's 23-year-old daughter, a pregnant mother of five children, fall to her death after rescuing her children from their burning home on May 5th. Fontaine had a special reason for his admiration of Barbara Mason. Just moments before she fell from a third floor window of her home, she had dropped her 20-month-old daughter, Karen Marie, into the arms of Fontaine. The child landed uninjuried.
Mrs. Mason, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Palmer had lived in Woonsocket for six years. She was born in nearby Waynesboro, Pa., raised in Hagerstown, and attended the Washington Street Schoo.
She lived with her husband, Morris M. Mason, 30, and their five children – Douglas Eugene, 5; Kathy Ann, 10; Karen Marie, 20 monthsl Laurie Jean, 4; and Georgia Ann, 3 – in a four story frame house in Woonsocket.
Five-year-old Douglas told Fire Prevention Bureau officials that he and a friend had been playing in a shed formerly used for oil barrel storage, where the fire started. Douglas told officials he had to pull his friend from the burning shed. As fire raced through the Mason's third-floor apartment, officials said, Mrs. Mason rushed her four older children out of the burning home, and returned to the third floor to bring out 20-month-old Karen. Apparently finding herself trapped by the spreading flames she dropped Karen from the third-floor window into the waiting arms of Fontaine.
Officials have surmised that Mrs. Mason was overcome by the dense smoke and fell from the window to the ground below. She was rushed to the hospital where she died shortly after of what doctors described as "multiple external and internal injuries."
The five children returned to Hagerstown to reside "at least temporarily" with their grandparents, the Palmers.
Source: Morning Herald (Hagerstown, MD) May 12, 1966
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MRS. BARBARA ELIZABETH MASON, 23, Woonsocket, R.I., died following injuries from a fire which destroyed her home on Wednesday. She was the daughter of Kenneth and Helen Rowyer Palmer of Hagerstown. She was a member of Calvary Brethren Church, Hagerstown.
Besides her parents she is survived by husband, Morris M. Mason; children, Kathy Ann, Douglas Eugene, Laurie Jean, Georgia Ann and Karen Marie, all at home; sister, Mrs. Edith Hosek, Hagerstown; maternal grandfather, Samuel Rowyer, Cockeysville.
The body will be brought to Rest Haven Funeral Chapel today. Burial in Rest Haven Cemetery.
Source: Morning Herald (Hagerstown, MD) May 6, 1966
**********************
The telegram, delivered to Mrs. Kenneth Palmer of 1055 Mt. Aetna Road on the evening of May 7th read, "My deepest sympathy … for Barbara's brave and courageous act." The message was sent to Mrs. Palmer by Raymond P. Fontaine, a fireman in Woonsocket, R.I. who had been one of many firefighters who watched Mrs. Palmer's 23-year-old daughter, a pregnant mother of five children, fall to her death after rescuing her children from their burning home on May 5th. Fontaine had a special reason for his admiration of Barbara Mason. Just moments before she fell from a third floor window of her home, she had dropped her 20-month-old daughter, Karen Marie, into the arms of Fontaine. The child landed uninjuried.
Mrs. Mason, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Palmer had lived in Woonsocket for six years. She was born in nearby Waynesboro, Pa., raised in Hagerstown, and attended the Washington Street Schoo.
She lived with her husband, Morris M. Mason, 30, and their five children – Douglas Eugene, 5; Kathy Ann, 10; Karen Marie, 20 monthsl Laurie Jean, 4; and Georgia Ann, 3 – in a four story frame house in Woonsocket.
Five-year-old Douglas told Fire Prevention Bureau officials that he and a friend had been playing in a shed formerly used for oil barrel storage, where the fire started. Douglas told officials he had to pull his friend from the burning shed. As fire raced through the Mason's third-floor apartment, officials said, Mrs. Mason rushed her four older children out of the burning home, and returned to the third floor to bring out 20-month-old Karen. Apparently finding herself trapped by the spreading flames she dropped Karen from the third-floor window into the waiting arms of Fontaine.
Officials have surmised that Mrs. Mason was overcome by the dense smoke and fell from the window to the ground below. She was rushed to the hospital where she died shortly after of what doctors described as "multiple external and internal injuries."
The five children returned to Hagerstown to reside "at least temporarily" with their grandparents, the Palmers.
Source: Morning Herald (Hagerstown, MD) May 12, 1966
********************
MRS. BARBARA ELIZABETH MASON, 23, Woonsocket, R.I., died following injuries from a fire which destroyed her home on Wednesday. She was the daughter of Kenneth and Helen Rowyer Palmer of Hagerstown. She was a member of Calvary Brethren Church, Hagerstown.
Besides her parents she is survived by husband, Morris M. Mason; children, Kathy Ann, Douglas Eugene, Laurie Jean, Georgia Ann and Karen Marie, all at home; sister, Mrs. Edith Hosek, Hagerstown; maternal grandfather, Samuel Rowyer, Cockeysville.
The body will be brought to Rest Haven Funeral Chapel today. Burial in Rest Haven Cemetery.
Source: Morning Herald (Hagerstown, MD) May 6, 1966
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