Source unknown- October 1963- Four Former Residents Die In Explosion- Four former
Crawfordsville residents died Thursday night in an explosion that blasted a section of the
Indianapolis Coliseum on the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Mr. and Mrs. Earl H. Myer of
Indianapolis and Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Keim of West Lafayette were among the dead found in
the wreckage at the coliseum. The spectators were watching the closing minutes of an ice
revue when the blast occurred. Mr. Keim, 64, a former mayor of West Lafayette, was a
native of Ladoga and moved from Crawfordsville to West Lafayette in 1929. He and his wife,
the former Lois Davidson, were married in 1919. Mrs. Davidson was born near Whitesville
and was a graduate of Crawfordsville High School. The couple lived in Crawfordsville for
10 years after their marriage. Mr. Keim was an insurance man and owned his own agency in
West Lafayette until his retirement in June of this year. Survivors of Mr. Keim include a
brother, Carol, of Ladoga. Included in the survivors of Mrs. Keim are three brothers,
Newton Davidson of Crawfordsville, Milo Davidson of the Crawford Hotel and Marion Davidson
of New York City. Double funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Keim are announced for 1:30
p.m. Monday at the Sollar-Baker Funeral Home in Lafayette. Burial will be in Oak Hill
Cemetery here. Friends may call from 12 noon until 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Earl
Myer lived in Crawfordsville for about 20 years before moving to Indianapolis according to
his half-brother, Ernest Myer of Hillsboro. He was reared in Hillsboro and taught school
there before coming to Crawfordsville in the early thirties. Mr. Myer’s half brother said
that he left Crawfordsville about 15 years ago to work in Indianapolis. He was vice
president of the Indiana Farmer’s Mutual Insurance Co. there at the time of his death. He
also worked for the firm while living in Crawfordsville. The body of Mrs. Myer
was identified by her son, Earl Jr. of Indianapolis. Mrs. Myer was the former Dorothy
Thomas and was born in Hillsboro. Survivors of the two include the son; a daughter, Nettie
Jane; Mr. Myer’s half-brother, and a brother of Mrs. Myer, Charles Parker of Hillsboro.
Double funeral services for Mr. and Mrs. Myer are set for 10:30 a.m. Monday at the
Flanner-Buchanan Mortuary’s Broad Ripple Chapel in Indianapolis. Graveside rites will
follow at 2 p.m. at Rose Hill Cemetery in Hillsboro.