And Then There Were 3

Dont know if anyone saw but Winnifred Quick Van Tongerloo died...one of the last remaining survivors she was 8 when the ship went down
 
This was in our local newspaper today:
Winnifred Quick Van Tongerloo, one of the few remaining survivors of the Titanic sinking, has died at age 98.
(I'm paraphrasing now - for space)
She was 8 when the Titanic went down.......
She died last Thursday on July 4th, 2002 in East Lansing , where she had moved after breaking her hip 6 years ago, the Detroit Free Press reported.
She, of course, was an honorary member of the "Titanic Historical Society"......
After artifacts from the ship was brought up in 1987 & a tv program was made about it, Van Tongerloo was one of the survivors interviewed. She said the progarm was interesting "but a little on the phony side." Van Tongerloo also said she had never expected scientists to find the ship at a depth of 2 1/2 miles.
Survivors, include 2 daughters, a son, nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.
Services were schueduled for Tuesday in Warren, with a burial in Detroit, where she grew up.
 
I know a death in the family is a private affair and should be. However, I am still amazed at how the AP has not reported this notable death. In Walter Lord's book "The Night Lives On", Walter speaks of how "in America every survivor now rates an obituary in the New York Times. He goes on to say "Typical was the case of 90-year old Ethel Beane,who lived in Rochester, New York,in 1983. She hadn't even told her Titanic experiences for 71 years. But she was nevertheless newsworthy-simply by being a survivor".
 
i also would like to express my condolences on the death of mrs tongerloo and i hope that she will rest in peace and i would also like to say eventhough miss dean was a baby when the sinking happened she must have some memories of the events because she remembers being put into a sack when she was rescued by the carpethia jennifer mueller
 
I am so sorry that Phil and George have lost a friend and that Mrs Tongerloo's family have lost a loved one. Give my best to George, Phil and also to the family as they mourn.

Darren, death and weddings can be very private affairs by choice, not necessarily due to lack of appreciation of the situation by the media. The family may simply be respecting Mrs Tongerloo's desires for privacy and have requested no media coverage or just did not announce it far and wide.
But she will certainly be missed.
 
Thanks for the link, Filipe. That was a nice picture of Mrs Van Tongerloo and an interesting write-up.
 
That is sad news about Mrs Tongaloo. Like John said she was blessed with a long long life. I bet we all wish we could make it to 98 don't we.
 
Darren,

In the Ottawa Citizen, Dated I think July 6, 2002 there is an article written by Alan Hustack (sp?) called "TITANIC SURVIVOR DIES, JUST THREE REMAIN"

I will post the article when I find the time.

Andrew M.
 
Thanks Filipe for the website with her photo. The only other photograph I have seen of Winnifred was one that Ed Kamuda let me see. Andrew, thanks for your information, I am looking forward to seeing that article. I did see a small "Deaths of Note" in the Charlotte Observer the other day.
 
I think the quote in the Yahoo obit was cute. It mentioned that Mrs. Van Tongerloo was interviewed about the 1987 program where artifacts were brought up from Titanic, and asked if she enjoyed the program. She said, "Yeah, but it was a little phony."
 
the only other photo i've seen of Mrs. Tongerloo was in the book, Titanic - Great Lakes Connection.. she appears there as a young child (probably at the time of the sinking), along with her mother and sister....indeed, sad to hear the news about her passing..
 
Mrs. Van Tongerloo's obituary was carried in thursday's Boston Herald, as well as Friday's (7/1202) New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/12/obituaries/12VANT.html
I remember reading 'The Night Lives On" by Walter Lord, and he mentioned that the story of the Titanic has become so huge, that the death of survivors has warranted their obituary to be carried in the New York Times. This has proven true, since as far back as I can remember, the most recent death announcments have been there.
 
Back
Top