Freak tornado in 1997 strikes northern Marion County years ago
A mostly sunny sky in the late afternoon of Oct. 9, 1997, did not foretell the destruction that was about to descend upon the Pilsen area and beyond.
People who weren't attuned to their radios had no idea that tornado watches were posted for the area.
Karen Konarik was teaching religion classes at the community center at Pilsen at approximately 4:50 p.m. when someone came in and reported the family farm three miles southwest of Pilsen had been hit by a tornado, and it was headed for Pilsen.
The children became frightened. Karen had been a school teacher, so she knew the proper procedure to follow. She gathered the students in the hallway and instructed them to lie down and place their hands over their heads. Then she began to pray with them.
Soon another parent came and said the tornado was close. In a few minutes, it had passed just to the east of Pilsen, grazing buildings on the southeast corner of the town.
"After that, we realized we needed a safer place," Karen said. A short time later, religion classes were moved to the vacant rectory, where a basement provides shelter in times of storm.
George Svitak lives in Pilsen. He said he was on his way home from Herington and had no idea a tornado had passed through the area. As he pulled into his driveway, Shane Svitak and Greg Holub arrived to inform him that his hay shed was gone. He discovered he also had no electricity. Some of the material from the shed still remains embedded in nearby windbreaks.
The tornado also struck an implement shed belonging to Ed Svitak on the south edge of Pilsen. It took off a door and moved the shed off its foundation.
Just down the street, Teresa Hill was visiting with Lou Vinduska on his front porch. They had no idea a tornado was passing nearby until they saw tin flying through the air.
The tornado passed on the east side of the church yard and cemetery and continued northeast to the Marcel Benda farm.
Marcel's son, William, said he and his parents were in the house at the time. Marcel went out to get the car for a trip to Salina when he saw the tornado coming across the field straight for their farm.
The terrified family rushed to an old cellar not too far from the house and stood huddled at the bottom of the open stairwell. After the storm passed, they were thankful to find the house was OK except for broken windows, but most of the buildings to the northeast were gone. The loss took years to recoup.
"It was totally unexpected and came out of the blue," William said.
The tornado continued onward, bobbing up and down, with little side swirls that occasionally took out a tree here and there.
The Centre High School football team was on the practice field when they were warned to go inside.
Two hundred people were at a gathering at Hebron Lutheran Church northwest of Burdick when they were warned about an approaching tornado.
A little farther northeast, Lee Remy had just come home from a livestock sale and had heard about a tornado heading through northern Marion County toward Morris County.
He decided to go outside and check it out.
"When I saw the boards flying, I thought I had better get in the house," he said.
The tornado took a 70-foot cattle shed and destroyed half of a roof on a hay barn. The tornado then lifted and later dropped down again at Dwight, causing damage to several houses.
"It was a little different experience," Lee said. "I was too brave."
