FATHER GERSCH on his ordination day Sunday at Comfrey

A priest who was ordained Sunday at Comfrey was killed Thursday night near Jordan when he stopped to give aid at an accident.

According to the investigating highway patrol officer, Father David Gersch, 26, an assistant at Cathedral of Holy Trinity, was struck by a jack-kniving semi truck as he was walking across Highway 169 toward a woman who was being assisted to a car.

This car also had stopped to help at the accident scene.

The accident occurred 1 1/2 miles south of Jordan in the southbound lane of Highway 169 at 9:30 p.m. during the midst of a driving rain.

According to the patrolman two cars traveling south on the highway were involved in a rear-end type accident in which a passenger in the second car was injured. The car was driven by Robert Krogman, 25, of Mankato. Passenger in his car was his wife, Delores, 24, who suffered “a badly severed” arm.

Immediately following the accident a car stopped on the left shoulder of the highway to render assistance, said the state trooper. As the man in this car was assisting Mrs. Krogman to his car, a semi approached and in his attempt to keep from hitting the car on the shoulder the truck jack-knived.

The trooper said that Father Gersch who had stopped his car on the right shoulder evidently was crossing the highway toward the injured woman when the jack-knifing truck swung across the highway and hit him. The truck also hit the car on the left shoulder but no one was in the car.

Driver of the semi was Steven Kral, 19, of New Ulm who is a trucker for Oliver Friedrichs of Gibbon. According to Steven’s mother, Mrs. Albert Kral, her son was treated and released at a hospital following the accident and was resting today at home of his employer in Gibbon. Mrs. Kral said the accident occurred on her son’s 19th birthday.

The car hit by the semi was owned by Jeffrey Peck of Le Sueur.

The Krogmans, a Mankato couple, were taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Mankato where Mrs. Krogman was listed this morning in fair condition. Her husband was treated and released, according to a hospital spokesman.

Assisting the highway patrol at the accident scene were Scott County Sheriff Department and the Jordan police.

The freakish accident saw a New Ulm man killed by a vehicle driven by another New Ulm man. And at least two other New Ulm cars passed the accident scene.

Ron Schmidt of the Journal staff said the “site was quite a mess”. He didn’t stop and learned this morning that it was a local man killed. Tom Scheible also passed the scene. Traffic was moved slowly around the accident vehicles.

FUNERAL SERVICES are set for 11a.m. Monday at St. Mary’s in Sleepy Eye. Bishop Alphonse J. Schladweiler will be the principal concelebrant and homilist. Seminary classmates of Father Gersch will be the concelebrants. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Comfrey from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday and at the Church of St. Mary in Sleepy Eye after 7 p.m.

THE NEW ULM Diocese has lost two priests in recent weeks. Father Leo Krzmarzick died suddenly in North Mankato.

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FATHER GERSCH was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Gersch, formerly of Comfrey but now of St. Paul Park.

He attended St. Paul’s grade school in Comfrey and then Crosier Seminary in Onamia. Then he completed seminary studies at St. Paul Seminary.

As a deacon, Father Gersch served six months at Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s parish. Since last June, he was assigned to help out at Cathedral parish in New Ulm. As a deacon, he could preach and do other priestly duties except celebrate the Mass.

The ordination of Father Gersch was held last Sunday in his home parish of St. Paul’s in Comfrey. It was his first Mass, concelebrated with the bishop.

Father Gersch had his first Mass in Cathedral parish Monday morning. His parents were here and the family had breakfast in the Cathedral rectory, Father Antony Leifeld recalled this morning

“We had a good chat and then Father Gersch and his parents took off for the cities,”said Father Leifeld.”He had Mass there Tuesday and went fishing that day with his dad.”

Father Gersch came back to Cathedral parish Tuesday night. He assumed regular duties Wednesday.

At noon Thursday, Father Gersch went to the Twin Cities on some business matters. He was on his way back to New Ulm when the accident happened.

Surviving besides his parents is a brother, James, of St. Petersburg, Fla.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Oct. 11, 1974