Virgie Viola Allen

1893 - 1950  (56 years)

• Name	Virgie Viola Allen  [1]
  Birth	17 Dec 1893  [2]
  Gender	Female
  Alternate birth	1894  [3]
  Death	20 Oct 1950	Henry County, Indiana   [3, 4, 5]
  Burial	Sugar Grove Methodist Cemetery, Henry County, Indiana   [3]
  Person ID	I38551	Ancestry of PNH, TNH, and others
  Last Modified	30 Sep 2022

  
  

  Father	John William Allen,   b. 23 Oct 1863, Alamance County, North Carolina d. 20 Mar 1952, New Castle, Henry, Indiana (Age 88 years)
  Mother	Viola Carter,   b. 20 Feb 1868   d. 17 Oct 1942 (Age 74 years)
  Family ID	F22638	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Howard Lynville Degler,   b. 12 Jun 1895
  Marriage	18 Feb 1918	Indiana   [2]
  Children	1. Claude Williamson Degler,   b. 19 May 1920, Poplar Bluff, Butler, Missouri d. 20 Apr 2000, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana (Age 79 years)
  Family ID	F22637	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	30 Sep 2022

  
  

• Notes

  From "Worker Ends Own Life, Bares Mother's Killing", citation details below: A New Castle factory worker shot himself fatally yesterday and left a note describing how he murdered his mother and buried her in a shallow grave. The body of Robert Degler, 26 years old, Chrysler employee, was found on the kitchen floor of the family home on the east side. Authorities followed instructions in the note and dug the body of Degler's mother, Mrs. Virgie Degler, from a two-foot-deep grave in the basement of new home she was building in West New Castle. She had been shot in the head, police said, but an early examination failed to locate the bullet. Degler also had been shot in the head. A .32 caliber revolver was lying on his chest and the note was in his hip pocket. Acting Coroner Robert Coude said Degler apparently killed himself after taking the life of his mother 11 days ago. The note said: "I was so worried and loved mother so much. And she was so worried and nervous and everything seemed so hopeless. I was almost out of my mind. "I shot and killed mother Oct. 20, 1950, and in blind fear buried her in the basement at our country place. I thought about suicide then but was so shocked and scared. Maybe this is best for everybody. May the Lord have mercy. Sincerely." Chief of police Ross Scott said the woman's face was covered with a towel, and her purse, three oranges and a pair of glasses lay beside her fully clothed body. Samples of Degler's handwriting were taken by State Police Detective Robert Dillon to be matched with the note. But authorities expressed belief they were the same. Authorities also said they were attempting to locate another son, Claude Degler, who last was known to be in Boston. Degler and his mother both worked at the Chrysler plant. Records showed that she had not appeared for work since Oct. 18.

  
  

• Sources

  [S1336] U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, on ancestry.com., first name only. [S3642] Indiana, Marriages, 1810-2001, on ancestry.com. [S6677] Find a Grave page for Virgie Allen Degler. [S6678] "Worker Ends Own Life, Bares Mother's Killing." Indianapolis Star, 1 Nov 1950, p. 22. [S6679] "Leads to Finding of Body of Mother, Virgie Degler." New Castle, Indiana Courier Times, 31 Oct 1950.