The Death of William Branham
On December 18, 1965 William Branham and his family (all except his daughter Rebekah) were returning to Jeffersonville, Indiana from Tucson, Arizona for the Christmas Holidays. About three miles east of Friona, Texas just after dark, a car traveling west struck Branham's car head-on. The driver of the other car died at the scene, as did the other front seat passenger. The other two passengers in the back seat of the car were severely injured. Branham's wife was seriously injured and his daughter Sarah was lying in the back seat and was also injured. Branham's left arm was mangled and caught in the driver-side door, and his left leg was wrapped around the steering wheel. After about 45 minutes Branham was pulled from his car and transported to the hospital at Friona, and then later transported to the hospital at Amarillo, Texas. He lived for six days after the crash, dying on December 24, 1965 at 5:49 PM. His body was returned to Jeffersonville, Indiana for burial.
His body was finally buried on April 11, 1966; Easter Monday.
Was the driver of the other car drunk?
Newspaper Report - December 23, 1965
THE FRIONA STAR DECEMBER 23, 1965 PAGE 3
HeadOn Collision
Kills 1, Injures 6
HIGHWAY60 WRECK — These two automobiles were involved in a headon collision Saturday night six miles west of Friona. The driver of the Chevrolet, top, was killed. Three passengers In that car and three members of an Arizona family who were riding In the station wagon were critically Injured.
Jimmie Ramos, 22, was kill ed Saturday night when the 1956 model car he was driving crash ed almost headone with a 1964 model station wagon carrying three Arizona residents enroute to Indiana for the Christmas holidays. Rev. William Branham, of Tucson, Ariz., driver of the station wagon, and his wife Meda remains In Intensive care at Northwest Texas Hospital on Tuesday of this week afterbeing transferred there from Farmer County Community Hospital late Saturday. One of Ramos' passengers, Rodolfo Melendez. also was in the Intensive care unit. Other passengers in the Ramos car were Raynaldo Melendez and Daniel Cocanegra. A daughter, 14 year old Marie Branham, was another passenger In the Branham au tomobile. The crash happened about six miles west of Friona at Par merton Hill, at about 8:15 p.m. Saturday. Both cars were de molished, and It took more than two hours to clear the wreck age. Units of the Friona Volunteer Fire Department were sum moned to assist In removing the wreck victims from the vehicles. Ramos was dead on arrival at the local hospital. .Funeral services were held Tuesday, under the direction of Claborn Funeral Home.