A daughter of Joseph A. Schreck and Elizabeth (Flies) Schreck.

(Courtesy of Cynthia Stevens-Smith 5/30/2011)

THE OKLAHOMAN (Oklahoma City, OK)
11/19/1929 Mother, Two Babies Burned to Death In Blast in City Home (Tuesday) Clothing Afire, Woman Rushes Back Into House in Attempt to Save Her Children After Coal Oil, Used on Stove Explodes and Sets Maple Avenue Structure Ablaze.
Heroic efforts of a mother to save her children while her own clothing was being burned failed Monday afternoon and two children were fatally burned and the mother, Mrs. John Ledbetter, 2119 W. Maple avenue, received burnes which later caused her death.
The children, Aileen Ledbetter, 3 years old, and her sister, Irene, 11 months old, died in Oklahoma City General hospital early Monday night of injuries received when the Ledbetter home on Maple avenue was destroyed by fire.
Mrs. Ledbetter died at 11 o'clock Monday night.
Fire which burned the home was started by the explosion of a coal heating stove after Mrs. Ledbetter had poured kerosene upon smouldering coals, she told neighbors.
Everett Munson, about 30 years old, who lived across the street, attracted by the woman's screams, came to her aid in getting the children out of the burning house.
He broke down a rear doar and dragged a blazing mattress on which the baby was lying, from the building.
Mrs. Ledbetter ran from the house screaming, her clothing aflame, when the blast occurred, according to Mrs. Y.J.C. Witherspoon, a neighbor, Aileen also is believed to have run out at the time. Flames in the doorway prevented entrance to the house.
When Mrs. Witherspoon heard Mrs. Ledbetter scream, she rushed out to find her trying to break through a window, paying no attention to her own condition. Her clothing then was burning from her body, Mrs. Witherspoon said.
Munson assisted in breaking in the window, but flames blocked the way and he went
to a back door and crashed it in. Mrs. Witherspoon said.
The mother and her two children were taken into the Witherspoon home, 2117 West Maple avenue, and a Perrine ambulance called.
Firemen prevented complete destruction of the house, a two-room frame building, but nearly all of the contents of the home were destroyed.
Ledbetter, an employe of the Wilson and company packing plant, was at work when the fire occurred. He was notified after the victims had been taken to the hospital,
he said.
Three other children, Herman, Wilson and Clifford, were in school.
Bodies of Mrs. Ledbetter and her two children were being held Monday night at the Perrine funeral ome, 1915 N. Robinson avenue, with arrangements incomplete.

11/20/1929 DEATHS & FUNERALS (Wednesday)
Anna Mary Ledbetter, age 31, and two daughters, Helena, 3 years, Elizabeth Irene, 11 months, died of burns Monday in a local hospital. Bodies are being forwarded to Canute, Okla., for burial by the Perrine funeral home.
(Courtesy of Emily Jordan 7/19/2011)