JOHN TULLIS KILLED IN FARM ACCIDENT: John Tullis, 47, lifetime Plymouth county resident, was killed instantly about 1:40 Monday afternoon when a heavy piece of machinery fell on him at a farm a mile west of Merrill on the county blacktop. Leo Wendl, of LeMars, who does custom farm work, and Mr. Tullis were preparing a large self-propelled picker-sheller with a combine head for custom work. Sheriff Jim Mertes, who investigated the accident, said a part of the machine clamped down on the victim's head as he attempted to fix it. County medical examiner, Dr. Sherman Lindell said Mr. Tullis died instantly of head injuries. Luken's ambulance was called and Mr. Tullis was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital. The body was taken to the Mauer funeral home. Mr. Wendl went across the road to the Gerald Prewitt farm where he telephoned Sheriff Mertes, asking him to send a doctor and ambulance. Mr. and Mrs. Tullis lived at the residence on the former Dick Eyres Old Barn farm. John William Tullis was born November 5, 1918, near Merrill. He lived in Plymouth County except for four years in Cherokee and five years in Ames, returning to LeMars in 1951. His marriage to Frances L. Peterman took place June 18, 1939 in LeMars. He was a member of Union Township Presbyterian Church. Funeral services will be Thursday at 2 pm at Union Township Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Richard Clark officiating. Burial will be in Resthaven Memory Gardens, LeMars, under direction of the Mauer Funeral Home. Survivors are his wife, Frances "Dolly" Tullis, of LeMars; six sons, Gary of LeMars, Robert of New Orleans, Bruce of Iowa City and Jack, Dennis and Randy at home; two grandchildren; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tullis of rural LeMars; two brothers, Loren and Willis, both of LeMars; and two sisters, Mrs. Lucille James of Elk Point, South Dakota, and Mrs. Alice Keenan of Sioux City. -LeMars Sentinel, 5/10/1965