Palm Sunday Disaster - April 11, 1965
A beautiful Sunday to get out and clean up after a long, cold, snowy winter. Pearl Beach residents Sally and Phil Whitten were just finishing up their newly remodeled house that Phil had inherited from his father just the year before. So busy in fact, that dinner was to be hot dogs boiled in a pan on a stove in their newly completed kitchen. Quite an epicurean delight to christen their remodeled home!
As they sat down to enjoy the impromptu dinner and watch Lassie on T.V., heavy rain, lightning and hail began to fall. Sally looked out the kitchen door and saw a yellow grey color in the sky that she had never seen before, and hopes to never see again. They turned the radio on and heard “Tornado warning!! Call if you see one.” She heard a loud roar and said “My God, what’s that?” Phil and Sally headed for the downstairs with their 2 Siamese cats not far behind. What happened next would change their lives forever.
As they made it down the stairs, the roar from the storm and the pressure became almost unbearable. Phil directed Sally to get under the workbench with him. After what seemed like an eternity, the roar and pressure disappeared. The radio was still working, and now they could hear of “wind damage at Coldwater Lake”. When Phil thought it was safe, they ventured out from beneath their workbench fortress and started walking up the stairs. What they should have seen was the ceiling of the old kitchen area, instead, it was sky!!
About 2 blocks north of the Whittens on Pearl Beach, 9 year old David was spending the holiday with his family at his aunts’ cottage on North Pearl Beach. He too was watching the T.V. show Lassie, when suddenly the power went out. He remembers looking out a window and seeing that the sky had taken on an unusual color of grayish green. As they looked for candles or lanterns to light the newly dark interior, his uncle spotted the tornado coming. He yelled to get down on the floor, and no sooner had that happened, but the tornado struck!! He remembers the sound of glass crashing all around him, seemingly coming from every direction. Screams and cries of panic came from all over the house. With his parents nowhere in sight, a family friend grabbed David and his cousin and covered them up while the storm raged on.
Meanwhile, Phil and Sally Whitten decided that Phil alone should venture up the stairs to survey the damage. After a brief visit up the stairs, Phil came back into the basement and declared “The house is gone!” Sally wanted to see for herself, so they both ascended the stairs this time. The whole lakefront of the house was gone along with outside wall of the new kitchen. Some of the ceiling remained, but the entire roof was gone without a trace.
It had stopped raining, but was still hot and muggy. Soon, a neighbor (who knew Sally was a nurse) came by asking her to check on their other neighbor Mrs. Fisher who was injured. She said yes, but Phil said “no, it’s coming back again”. No sooner had Phil gotten those words of denial out, when the wind started up again. He said they needed to retreat to the basement again. After much “yes, we are, and now we aren’t”, he won out and they went back to the basement and under the workbench. Again, the roar and low pressure of the second beast was just as bad as the first. After this storm passed, they ventured up the stairs to a moonlit night, where coolness had overtaken the humidity. Now complete darkness had set in….
After the first storm had passed, young David and his family attended to his aunt who had received a gash to her forehead, courtesy of a flying teakettle, which she had the fortitude to give a good cussing to. They found a vehicle good enough to drive to the hospital through all of the fallen trees and destruction. The remaining adults determined the house was too structurally compromised to stay in, so they made it out to their uncles’ garage that miraculously sustained only light damage. They were safe, or so they thought.
Part II
HOW THE STORM FORMED
An unusually strong front formed, creating wind shear over 100mph and storms moving at 60 mph across the land.
As they sat down to enjoy the impromptu dinner and watch Lassie on T.V., heavy rain, lightning and hail began to fall. Sally looked out the kitchen door and saw a yellow grey color in the sky that she had never seen before, and hopes to never see again. They turned the radio on and heard “Tornado warning!! Call if you see one.” She heard a loud roar and said “My God, what’s that?” Phil and Sally headed for the downstairs with their 2 Siamese cats not far behind. What happened next would change their lives forever.
As they made it down the stairs, the roar from the storm and the pressure became almost unbearable. Phil directed Sally to get under the workbench with him. After what seemed like an eternity, the roar and pressure disappeared. The radio was still working, and now they could hear of “wind damage at Coldwater Lake”. When Phil thought it was safe, they ventured out from beneath their workbench fortress and started walking up the stairs. What they should have seen was the ceiling of the old kitchen area, instead, it was sky!!
About 2 blocks north of the Whittens on Pearl Beach, 9 year old David was spending the holiday with his family at his aunts’ cottage on North Pearl Beach. He too was watching the T.V. show Lassie, when suddenly the power went out. He remembers looking out a window and seeing that the sky had taken on an unusual color of grayish green. As they looked for candles or lanterns to light the newly dark interior, his uncle spotted the tornado coming. He yelled to get down on the floor, and no sooner had that happened, but the tornado struck!! He remembers the sound of glass crashing all around him, seemingly coming from every direction. Screams and cries of panic came from all over the house. With his parents nowhere in sight, a family friend grabbed David and his cousin and covered them up while the storm raged on.
Meanwhile, Phil and Sally Whitten decided that Phil alone should venture up the stairs to survey the damage. After a brief visit up the stairs, Phil came back into the basement and declared “The house is gone!” Sally wanted to see for herself, so they both ascended the stairs this time. The whole lakefront of the house was gone along with outside wall of the new kitchen. Some of the ceiling remained, but the entire roof was gone without a trace.
It had stopped raining, but was still hot and muggy. Soon, a neighbor (who knew Sally was a nurse) came by asking her to check on their other neighbor Mrs. Fisher who was injured. She said yes, but Phil said “no, it’s coming back again”. No sooner had Phil gotten those words of denial out, when the wind started up again. He said they needed to retreat to the basement again. After much “yes, we are, and now we aren’t”, he won out and they went back to the basement and under the workbench. Again, the roar and low pressure of the second beast was just as bad as the first. After this storm passed, they ventured up the stairs to a moonlit night, where coolness had overtaken the humidity. Now complete darkness had set in….
After the first storm had passed, young David and his family attended to his aunt who had received a gash to her forehead, courtesy of a flying teakettle, which she had the fortitude to give a good cussing to. They found a vehicle good enough to drive to the hospital through all of the fallen trees and destruction. The remaining adults determined the house was too structurally compromised to stay in, so they made it out to their uncles’ garage that miraculously sustained only light damage. They were safe, or so they thought.
Part II
HOW THE STORM FORMED
An unusually strong front formed, creating wind shear over 100mph and storms moving at 60 mph across the land.
Weather Bulletin announced at 5:20 pm
The first tornado to hit Coldwater Lake formed 2 miles southwest of Pleasant Lake just south of the Michigan/ Indiana line at 7:03 pm, then crossed into Michigan and soon into Coldwater Lake.
The first tornado to hit Coldwater Lake formed 2 miles southwest of Pleasant Lake just south of the Michigan/ Indiana line at 7:03 pm, then crossed into Michigan and soon into Coldwater Lake.
The second tornado formed from the same cell approximately 20 minutes later near Kinderhook, destroying a furniture store before hitting almost the same exact place on the lake as the first one, spewing debris from the first storm into the lake, then proceeding another 80 miles. Both storms were later categorized as F4 tornados.
Part III
AFTER THE STORM IS GONE
As Sally and Phil emerged from the basement after the second tornado, Sally went looking for the injured Mrs. Fisher, only to find her lying on the ground across the road and down from where their mobile home had been. She was unresponsive bleeding from her eyes, noses, and ears. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. There were 9 people killed on Pearl Beach alone.
In the days and weeks that followed, they found their Siamese cats in a ceiling light in the basement where they too road out the storm, safe but scared. They were able to rebuild and spent the next years enjoying their new house. Sally went on to give seminars on storm safety preparedness, and recount her story of survival to groups and organizations.
After a wild and dangerous ride sitting inside his uncles’ car inside the garage during the second storm, David and his family put a splint on his mothers’ broken ankle, and started a trek across fields towards Old 27 and Copeland roads. On the way through the dark, they encountered other survivors, dead and dying cattle, as well as humans who had been thrown from the tornado and perished. Eventually they reached emergency personnel who ferried them into the Coldwater Hospital where they joined dozens of others injured by the storms.
AFTER THE STORM IS GONE
As Sally and Phil emerged from the basement after the second tornado, Sally went looking for the injured Mrs. Fisher, only to find her lying on the ground across the road and down from where their mobile home had been. She was unresponsive bleeding from her eyes, noses, and ears. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. There were 9 people killed on Pearl Beach alone.
In the days and weeks that followed, they found their Siamese cats in a ceiling light in the basement where they too road out the storm, safe but scared. They were able to rebuild and spent the next years enjoying their new house. Sally went on to give seminars on storm safety preparedness, and recount her story of survival to groups and organizations.
After a wild and dangerous ride sitting inside his uncles’ car inside the garage during the second storm, David and his family put a splint on his mothers’ broken ankle, and started a trek across fields towards Old 27 and Copeland roads. On the way through the dark, they encountered other survivors, dead and dying cattle, as well as humans who had been thrown from the tornado and perished. Eventually they reached emergency personnel who ferried them into the Coldwater Hospital where they joined dozens of others injured by the storms.
Part IV
THE RECOVERY EFFORT
Sheriff Keith Wilhelm (future owner of The Wharf restaurant, currently the Bent Prop Pub) led the way directing all available personnel to the affected areas. Wilhelm put police cars along US 27 in the lake area to keep cars moving and prevent traffic jams. Also, no one was allowed to enter the damaged areas without prior permitting from his office. Sheriff Wilhelm expected out- of -county onlookers visiting the area over the next few weeks looking to survey the damage.
Tonya Hobson of JoJo Lane remembers her Grandfather going in to town to receive these permits by providing a copy of his deed. She stated that they had security at all 4 entrances to that area to keep looters out.
After the storm, State Senator Roger Johnson introduced a resolution to the state senate commending Branch County Sheriff Keith Wilhelm and his department for work in the tornado damaged county.
A small army of men including Boy Scouts and local high school students descended on the area to help residents with clean up. The volunteer labor these youngsters brought was a savior for many as their young backs and endless energy helped dozens with the daunting task of cleaning up their property in the weeks that followed. Approximately 300 National Guard troops were called in and they were housed overnight in the now closed Lakeland Elementary school on Centennial Road.
Barbara Mullally’s parents owned a cottage 3 doors south of the Crystal Beach Tavern (current location of the condo units). Fortunately her family was in town for Palm Sunday services, and their cottage was spared from the storms’ wrath. Unfortunately, her grandfathers house right next door was a total loss. All of her family was safe, and she still spends summers at the lake to this day.
Henry Davis, who owned Davis Marine on Lake Drive (Currently Coldwater Lake Marina) was driving home on US 27 from the Pine Island Diner on Silver Lake south of Kinderhook with his wife Van when the first tornado picked up their car and flung it to an unknown location. Van was later found and transported to the hospital, where she recovered from her injuries. Henry’s body was found in a grove of trees on Bronklebank Rd., about 5 miles east of US 27.
Many injuries and even fatalities occurred from people just driving through the area when the storms struck. The Robert Robson family was traveling home when they saw the monster storm coming at them. They stopped the car and got in a ditch with the father laying on top of his wife and 2 sons. Mr. Robson was picked up by the tornado and thrown into a field approximately 6 miles from where he first got out of the car with his family. He was found wandering looking for his family and taken to Branch County Health Center where he was treated for a smashed shoulder and other lesser injuries.
Across the road from Robson’s landing, in a vast field full of windblown wreckage, rescue workers found the bodies of Mrs. Robson and her sons. The mother and one son were deceased at the scene and the second boy was declared dead on arrival at the Health Center.
Even after the storm, tragedies continued to unfold as San Souci Beach resident Gustav Fredrick, 69, died on Saturday following the storm, of a heart attack that occurred as he was picking up debris along the shoreline. Although Mr. Fredrick fell part way into the lake, the coroner stated that the cause of death was a heart attack resulting from over exhaustion.
The trauma and cleanup effort continued into the summer and beyond as barges were brought in with grappling hooks to removed tornado debris from the lake. Cottages were rebuilt and renovated as time went on, and there are few signs today of the terrible damage inflicted on that memorable Sunday. But the terror it put into the residents who experienced it will live on.
THE RECOVERY EFFORT
Sheriff Keith Wilhelm (future owner of The Wharf restaurant, currently the Bent Prop Pub) led the way directing all available personnel to the affected areas. Wilhelm put police cars along US 27 in the lake area to keep cars moving and prevent traffic jams. Also, no one was allowed to enter the damaged areas without prior permitting from his office. Sheriff Wilhelm expected out- of -county onlookers visiting the area over the next few weeks looking to survey the damage.
Tonya Hobson of JoJo Lane remembers her Grandfather going in to town to receive these permits by providing a copy of his deed. She stated that they had security at all 4 entrances to that area to keep looters out.
After the storm, State Senator Roger Johnson introduced a resolution to the state senate commending Branch County Sheriff Keith Wilhelm and his department for work in the tornado damaged county.
A small army of men including Boy Scouts and local high school students descended on the area to help residents with clean up. The volunteer labor these youngsters brought was a savior for many as their young backs and endless energy helped dozens with the daunting task of cleaning up their property in the weeks that followed. Approximately 300 National Guard troops were called in and they were housed overnight in the now closed Lakeland Elementary school on Centennial Road.
Barbara Mullally’s parents owned a cottage 3 doors south of the Crystal Beach Tavern (current location of the condo units). Fortunately her family was in town for Palm Sunday services, and their cottage was spared from the storms’ wrath. Unfortunately, her grandfathers house right next door was a total loss. All of her family was safe, and she still spends summers at the lake to this day.
Henry Davis, who owned Davis Marine on Lake Drive (Currently Coldwater Lake Marina) was driving home on US 27 from the Pine Island Diner on Silver Lake south of Kinderhook with his wife Van when the first tornado picked up their car and flung it to an unknown location. Van was later found and transported to the hospital, where she recovered from her injuries. Henry’s body was found in a grove of trees on Bronklebank Rd., about 5 miles east of US 27.
Many injuries and even fatalities occurred from people just driving through the area when the storms struck. The Robert Robson family was traveling home when they saw the monster storm coming at them. They stopped the car and got in a ditch with the father laying on top of his wife and 2 sons. Mr. Robson was picked up by the tornado and thrown into a field approximately 6 miles from where he first got out of the car with his family. He was found wandering looking for his family and taken to Branch County Health Center where he was treated for a smashed shoulder and other lesser injuries.
Across the road from Robson’s landing, in a vast field full of windblown wreckage, rescue workers found the bodies of Mrs. Robson and her sons. The mother and one son were deceased at the scene and the second boy was declared dead on arrival at the Health Center.
Even after the storm, tragedies continued to unfold as San Souci Beach resident Gustav Fredrick, 69, died on Saturday following the storm, of a heart attack that occurred as he was picking up debris along the shoreline. Although Mr. Fredrick fell part way into the lake, the coroner stated that the cause of death was a heart attack resulting from over exhaustion.
The trauma and cleanup effort continued into the summer and beyond as barges were brought in with grappling hooks to removed tornado debris from the lake. Cottages were rebuilt and renovated as time went on, and there are few signs today of the terrible damage inflicted on that memorable Sunday. But the terror it put into the residents who experienced it will live on.
References:
PHOTO CREDITS:
Thank you to the following residents for their photos:
Janis Marr Walker
Joel and Pam Rufenacht
Barbara Mullally
Andrew St. Clair
Sally Whitten
Special Thanks:
Thank you to Sally Whitten for allowing us to interview her for this article. She is the epitome of resilience and class to this day.
Thanks to Celton Henderson for his YouTube video on the 1965 Tornado outbreaks who did much of the footwork for the history of this event.
Finally, thank you to my wife, Deborah, who has better Microsoft Word skills than me, and is always behind me 100% for my projects and life in general!!
FROM THE AUTHOR:
I have been asked by many individuals why I wanted to put this article together; there are 2 reasons: The first is to remember those lost and injured in this horrible event. If this happened in 2025, there would be reports plastered all over the news and social media, and probably a made for TV movie. Two F-4 tornadoes to hit the same spot within 20 minutes of each other has never happened before as far as I can find. The terror to come out of your house, only to be walloped a second time is almost unimaginable. The people who survived and those who didn’t need to be remembered as we go through our daily lives, especially by those of us who traverse the same roads and enjoy the beautiful lake we all love so much.
Secondly, as I have been on Coldwater Lake dating back to 1959, I have often spoken to those who experienced this disaster first hand. They all have stories to tell and sometimes pictures or other mementos to share. As time goes on, many of those memories disappear as people pass on or they put the photos in a box, only to be forgotten or thrown away by someone who never even knew it happened. I hate to see any history forgotten and especially from the lake that has given me some of the greatest moments of my life, so this is also a project to protect for the future, the stories from those who actually experienced it on that fateful day. As people read this, I’m certain some will want to include their story or photos. For that reason, I am going to keep this article like a tree that grows as more comes in. As it does, I will add updates so that years from now, we can look back at what has occurred and how we have rebuilt to a place we can continue to enjoy, and others can for generations to come. If you enjoyed this article and have anything you would like others to learn about this fateful day, reach out to me at the Email below. Thanks for reading and LOVE THE LAKE!!!!
Terry Swick
- Interview with Sally Whitten 9/25/2024…….
- Story from Weather.gov/grr/1965PalmSundayTornado
- Weather.gov/iwx/1965_palmsunday_50
- Coldwater Daily Reporter
PHOTO CREDITS:
Thank you to the following residents for their photos:
Janis Marr Walker
Joel and Pam Rufenacht
Barbara Mullally
Andrew St. Clair
Sally Whitten
Special Thanks:
Thank you to Sally Whitten for allowing us to interview her for this article. She is the epitome of resilience and class to this day.
Thanks to Celton Henderson for his YouTube video on the 1965 Tornado outbreaks who did much of the footwork for the history of this event.
Finally, thank you to my wife, Deborah, who has better Microsoft Word skills than me, and is always behind me 100% for my projects and life in general!!
FROM THE AUTHOR:
I have been asked by many individuals why I wanted to put this article together; there are 2 reasons: The first is to remember those lost and injured in this horrible event. If this happened in 2025, there would be reports plastered all over the news and social media, and probably a made for TV movie. Two F-4 tornadoes to hit the same spot within 20 minutes of each other has never happened before as far as I can find. The terror to come out of your house, only to be walloped a second time is almost unimaginable. The people who survived and those who didn’t need to be remembered as we go through our daily lives, especially by those of us who traverse the same roads and enjoy the beautiful lake we all love so much.
Secondly, as I have been on Coldwater Lake dating back to 1959, I have often spoken to those who experienced this disaster first hand. They all have stories to tell and sometimes pictures or other mementos to share. As time goes on, many of those memories disappear as people pass on or they put the photos in a box, only to be forgotten or thrown away by someone who never even knew it happened. I hate to see any history forgotten and especially from the lake that has given me some of the greatest moments of my life, so this is also a project to protect for the future, the stories from those who actually experienced it on that fateful day. As people read this, I’m certain some will want to include their story or photos. For that reason, I am going to keep this article like a tree that grows as more comes in. As it does, I will add updates so that years from now, we can look back at what has occurred and how we have rebuilt to a place we can continue to enjoy, and others can for generations to come. If you enjoyed this article and have anything you would like others to learn about this fateful day, reach out to me at the Email below. Thanks for reading and LOVE THE LAKE!!!!
Terry Swick