Three dead, one seriously injured after lightning strikes at fu

The AssociatedPress

WILLARD, Mo. -- Three Springfield residents were killed and a fourth was critically injured by lightning during a funeral at a rural cemetery Friday morning.

Leroy Hendrix, 82, and Billy J. Burgess, 66, were declared dead Friday morning, said Tom Martin, chief deputy sheriff at the Greene County Sheriff's office.

Joretta Gray, 71, died Friday afternoon at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, where her husband, Junior L. Gray, 70, was in critical condition.

About 30 to 40 people were attending a funeral for Leon Carroll, 83, of Bois D'Arc, at Clear Creek cemetery just west of Willard when a storm moved through shortly after 10 a.m., Martin said.

Charles Turk, who lives across from the cemetery, knew most of the people attending the funeral.

"I seen the lightning hit, there was a big ball of fire, it came down the tree," Turk told KTTS radio. "I saw four people sort of fall over in slow motion, four elderly people. It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen in my life."

Turk's son ran across the street to help administer CPR to some of the victims.

About the same time, one of the bystanders ran into the nearby Tatum Chapel Baptist Church to get Pastor Darryl Walker.

"He knew I knew CPR, so they came and got me," said Walker, whose church was not involved in the funeral. "I went over there to help. I did everything I could."

Walker said about 30 to 40 people were attending the graveside services when the rain started. He said it was not an unusually severe storm.

"It was a summer rain shower, with some thunder," Walker said. "There was no big wind or anything, not what I would call a big thunderstorm."

Turk said when the rain started, he saw several people back up under the trees surrounding the grave site.

"I guess it's a miracle that more of them weren't hurt," he said.

Walker, who served on the fire department for several years, said he was stunned by the accident.

"I've been around several tragedies in my lifetime," he said. "I've never seen anything like this."