I’ve recently been “coaxed” into a retirement that I view as a little premature, but it has freed up a little time to pursue a little research on a couple of people I believe should better remembered by those who share our interests.
I’ve already delved into “Professional Iconoclast” John G. Kneiling with considerable progress, but have yet to locate a final resting place.
But I had better luck with Mr. Robert Leonberger – likely the last Block Operator to lose his life to the most prominent peril in his line of work when a derailment destroyed the CSX (former B&O) “CF” Tower at Confluence, PA, on May 6, 1987. Mr. Leonberger has, thankfully, been memorialized at findagrave.com, (I was lucky enough to have the pleasure of his company one Saturday about a year before) but I’m hoping that one of the sites devoted to the Operator’s craft can add a bit more to his legacy.
Which brings me to Peter Josserand, Western Pacific’s Chief Dispatcher, who headed he American Train Dispatchers’ Association after World War II, and followed Harry Forman as Editor and Arbiter of Last Resort for operating rules issues. Mr. Josserand completely rewrote the reference work “Rights of Trains” in the late 1950’s.
Mr Josserand suffered a fatal heart attack on May 4, 1963. and is reportedly buried in Sacramento, CA. What I’ve been able to locate so far lists the cemetery of his burial as “Lawn Memorial Park”, but no record of such a place has turned up as yet, and inquiries via the 'Net at Camelia Lawn and Masonic Lawn also yielded no results.
So if anyone among our fraternity who lives in the Sacramento area can provide a clue or two, it would be much appreciated.