What Happened to Buddy Holly!?!

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Nancy

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I knew that Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper all died in a plane crash in 1959....but I was just reading the "coroner's report", and I can't believe how much damage a plane crash can do to a person.

From this link: http://www.fiftiesweb.com/holly-death.htm

"Buddy Holly's Death Certificate

From the Coroner's Report dated Feb. 4, 1959

The body of Charles H. Holley was clothed in an outer jacket of yellow leather-like material in which 4 seams in the back were split almost full length. The skull was split medially in the forehead and this extended into the vertex region. Approximately half the brain tissue was absent. There was bleeding from both ears, and the face showed multiple lacerations. The consistency of the chest was soft due to extensive crushing injury to the bony structure. The left forearm was factured 1/3 the way up from the wrist and the right elbow was fractured. Both thighs and legs showed multiple factures. There was a small laceration of the scrotum.

Personal effects found with the body are listed on a separate sheet in this report.

Fingerprints were taken of the deceased for purposes of identification.

Ralph E. Smiley, MD
Acting coroner

Personal effects, Charles Holley

Cash $193.00 less $11.65 coroner's fees - $181.35 2
cuff links, silver 1/2 in. balls having jeweled band Top portion of ball point pen."

The point of this is -- be careful out there if you are in a plane or in a car, ok? :eek3:

Oh, and I learned something here -- if you have money with you when you are dead, the coroner can take your money! (Look at "Personal Effects" section).
 
Coroners could do that at that time but not anymore.

Way back then it was used to pay the bills, just take what was needed as appropriate and put the rest back in the wallet or the purse.

It used to be that no undue stress was placed on the family anymore than where it was necessary and if there was no money at the time of the death then the bill would come in the mail but not very much. Just enough to cover the funeral expenses and people who heard that somebody died in the family would pitch in. Usually through word of mouth then eventually the town news press would publish a very brief obituary in the newspapers. Men would give some money and the ladies would cook and bake food for the family because the grieving lady may be in too much shock to even be able to cook, much less take care of and feed the children so that family got a real blessing from the community who helped, supported and stood by that family in a time of need.

Most coroners were honest and hard working people. There were a few bad apples here and there but for the most part, many coroners and their assistants were very hard working God fearing people.

My father used to be a coroner assistant. He used to help bag the bodies and bring them to the funeral home then start the process of embaling and making a phone call to the local barber or if it was a lady then call the hairdresser. The family in mourning would bring proper clothes to put on the deceased person to give proper respect. A nice businessman's suit or a flowering dress for the ladies. The casket would be ready for viewing by the family in private first then after that the general public could come and pay respects to the deceased person and leave flowers, cards there. Everything was done in an appropriate God fearing proper manner.
 
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i love ritchie valens starts to sing * heeeey lets go ,lets go ,lets go little darling*
 
wow .. thats really sad ...valens is my favorite oldies singer he had such a sweet voice.

your mine and we belong together ,yes we belong together
for eternity , your mine your lips belong to me ,yes they belong to only me
for eternity.. your my ,my baby, and you will always be, and i swear by everything i own, you'll always ,always be mine


ok i basically sang the whole song by ritchie... when i hear ritichie valens name i can't help it
 
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