Story of Andrews death submitted by Viola Seitz Schiefer

Andrew was called to be the Bishop of the Veyo ward. About six months later he received a promotion with the company so that the family could move to Veyo and live in their two room home. It was very small with three children and another on the way. They set their hearts on building a new larger home. They drew up the plans and hired a contractor. Then disaster struck the family.  


June 8, 1937 Andrew left for work but before he got into his truck he came back and kissed Lila one more time. That was the last touch from her beloved husband of only eleven and a half years. In the late morning she sat sewing beneath the east window of her home she looked up and saw Aunt Belle coming, it was not unusual for the sisters to visit each other they were very close but for some reason Lila had a most fearful feeling. When Belle arrived Aunt Dorothy also came. The boys were happily playing outside; I was asleep for my morning nap. Belle and Dorothy came in the house, took my mom in their arms, and sat her down beside them. In her most tender way Aunt Belle told Lila that she had received a phone call telling that Andrew had been killed with an electrical shock while trimming tree limbs from a high power electric line. As our mother never talked about that moment I do not know what she felt or how she faced the next hours. I do not know how word was received about his death. Uncle Glen was working with him but he also received an electric shock. It remains a mystery to me to this day. 

I do know that our mother Lila was a brave and determined lady. She had absolute faith in the Plan of Salvation. In the years following daddy’s death we made many trips to the Veyo cemetery as she knelt by his grave weeding she told us about daddy being in heaven where we could all be together with him if we lived the gospel principles. I gained my testimony of Jesus Christ from these visits. I do not remember spending much time with the scriptures, mom did not have time for everything, but she never strayed from her own testimony as long as she lived. 

In Veyo she held every position in the ward that a woman could be called to. Always she was sending us with food to the less fortunate. Spending nights with the sick. Her love for Daddy and we children was so great that she never ever thought about getting married again. Her never wavering faith stays with me and influences my life to this day. These thoughts are a departure from the story but seem a good place to enter the influence of our father on our lives.