HARRISVILLE, UTAH
COUPLE KILLED IN CASPER WYOMING CRASH AFTER A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH A
SEMI-TRUCK ON A TWO-LANE ROAD; 4 CHILDREN INJURED
By Sandra Yi
January 4th, 2015 @ 10:34pm
WEBER COUNTY — Four young children, including a newborn,
survived a crash in Wyoming Saturday that killed both their parents.
Calls to the Wyoming Highway Patrol were not returned
Sunday, but relatives told KSL that Steve and Eliza Kenison of Harrisville were
killed after a head-on collision with a semi-truck on a two-lane road near
Casper.
The couple’s four children and Eliza Kenison’s brother
were also in the car and survived.
Steve Kenison’s father said his 2-year-old
granddaughter, KayLynn, was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital and was
expected to be released Sunday.
Her brothers Ralph, 5, Leonard, 2, and Clifford, 2
months, were taken to a hospital in Casper and are still under observation and
have yet to be released.
“It’s really good that they came through with very
little injury,” said Ivan Kenison.
The family had spent the week visiting Eliza Kenison’s
parents in Gillette, Wyoming.
They were on their way to a wedding in Idaho and were
planning to be back in Utah Sunday.
“They’ll grow up knowing their parents, their
grandmother will be certain of that,” said Ivan Kenison, who lives in West
Jordan.
We're going to write down, all of us who know them,
memories for them and put it together in a book and make sure each of the
children have a copy.
–K. Lea Kelley, family friend
He said he and his wife plan to raise their four
grandkids.
Ivan Kenison said he had little information about the
crash but he said the weather was bad. “I’ve been told, probably blizzard-like
conditions,” he said.
Friends said Eliza Kenison’s brother recalled what
happened.
“He was asleep and dozing and he said the only thing he
heard was, ‘Oh dear,’ and then the crash,” said K. Lea Kelley. “An oil rig
driver and bus driver helped them coordinate to get him and the children, and
it took several hours to get Steve and Eliza out of the car.”
Kelley said Eliza Kenison, who turned 30 on Friday, was
her best friend and the epitome of service.
“I know that Eliza would not want us to be sad but to
focus on service, serving her children, our neighbors and our community,”
Kelley said.
She says Eliza Kenison grew up on a farm in Wyoming and
wanted to share that experience with her kids.
The family had three acres of land where they raised
sheep, goats and chickens.
Friends said Steve, who worked for a construction
company, always pitched in.
“He was just a wonderful father and husband in every
way,” Kelley said.
Just before Christmas, the family took photos together
at the blessing for their youngest son.
Family and friends said they’re grateful the children
will have those photos.
“We’re going to write down, all of us who know them,
memories for them and put it together in a book and make sure each of the
children have a copy,” Kelley said.
Friends and family have set up a *GoFundMe account to help
provide finances to aid in funeral costs, hospital bills and long term support
for the children