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A 67-year-old retired city employee, father of ten, died in flames which burned his home at 2500 North Mill, to the ground Friday morning. He was Arthur Van Beber, who failed in the struggle to find a way out of the burning house. His wife, daughter and two sons were also injured in the fire.
Most seriously injured was the daughter, Jewel, a 17-year-old student of Central High School, who was taken to the Muskogee General Hospital in a critical condition. Early Friday evening hospital authorities reported her condition as "fair." The son, Parker, 34, received burns on the face, arms and chest while attempting to rescue his father from the blazing one-story house.
Celia Van Beber, 60, wife of the dead man, and another son, M.D. Van Beber, 23, escaped with only minor injuries. The latter's injury was a cut right arm, sustained when he smashed a window in an attempt to escape the burning house.
Because the house was situated outside the city limits, and was not insured, the fire department could not assist in putting out the fire.
M.D. Van Beber said he thought the fire had originated from a stove in the northeast wing of the L-shaped house, where his father was sleeping.
According to neighbors at the scene, the elder Van Beber could be seen at times inside the house, struggling to find a way out. They said he was unable to be reached. The elderly man worked his way to a door in the middle portion of the house before being overcome. M.D. Van Bebber carried his injured younger sister from the burning structure. He said, however, that he was forced back from an attempt to re-enter to search for his father. He said he had been awakened by the cries of other members of the family. Another daughter, Lorraine, 20, was not at home at the time of the fire. The family did not carry insurance. Arthur Van Beber is a former resident of Wagoner County, moving to Muskogee in 1943. He was employed by the city until he retired in 1948. Before living in Wagner County, Van Beber had spent 22 years in Leach, Oklahoma. He is survived by the widow, Celia, four daughters: Mrs. Mildred Gaylor of Oregon, Mrs. Mary Coffman, 1508 North Ash, Miss Lorraine Van Beber of the home and Jewell Van Beber of the home; six sons: Francis of Choteau, Walter and Charles of Kansas City, Kansas, Homer of the U.S. Army in Tokyo, Parker of the home and Marvin of the home; two brother: Jim Van Beber of Muldrow and Bert Van Beber of Zena, Oklahoma.

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