“Tracy Tornado 50th Anniversary”
The Murray County Historical Society’s April Dinehart Lunchbox Lecture will host Willmar author, Scott Thoma, on Thursday, April 12, 2018. His presentation will begin at noon at the 4-H building on the Murray County Fairgrounds. Thoma will present “Tracy Tornado 50th Anniversary”
There is a $3.00 charge for the event and members of the Murray County Historical Society get in free. Bring your questions and your lunch along. Coffee, tea, and hot drinks provided. For more information contact the Murray County Historical Museum at: 507-836-6533 or email: jtimmerman@co.murray.mn.us.
On June 13, 1968, the first F5 tornado ever recorded in Minnesota struck the town of Tracy around 7 p.m. Nine people were killed and over 100 injured. Newlyweds, Linda (Haugen) Vaske and her husband Clifford Vaske had been finalizing adoption paperwork on two-year-old Nancy Vlahos when Clifford left for military training in Washington.
On the night of the tornado, Linda, her eight-year-old sister Pam and Nancy were at the Vaskes’ home south of town. Linda, holding tightly onto Nancy and Pam were unable to reach the basement in time. All three were blown out of the house. Linda was unable to maintain her grasp on Nancy. Although the sisters suffered serious injuries, both survived. However, Nancy’s lifeless body was found on a street a block away. The sisters will never forget that night and rarely a day goes by that they don’t think about the little girl who was taken from them.
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