Billings Man Killed in Fall

Worland, Wyo – Nov. 16 – Joseph Kribbs Harden, 25, of Billings, was killed instantly when he fell 80 feet from an oil tower at the No. 4 well of the Loffland Brothers Drilling Co., near here Friday night.

He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester M. Harden of Beverly Hills Blvd, Billings.

He had been in Worland six months and was working the 4 p.m. to midnight shift at the company’s well seven miles north of Worland, at the time of his death.

Mr. Harden was born at Eastland, Texas on October 12, 1921. He was graduated from the Olney, Ill. high school and the Texas Military Academy at Terrell, Texas. Before his entry into the Army in October 1942, he attended Texas A. & M. College.

He was cannon officer with the ninety-fourth division of the Third army and saw service in France, Germany and Czechoslovakia, returning to the United States in January of 1946. He was discharged in March.

He is survived by his parents, his widow, one daughter, Margaret Harden of West Salem, Ill; a brother, Val J. Harden, serving in the Navy at San Diego, Calif. and two sisters, Joyce and Judith Harden of Billings.

Funeral services held in the Methodist Church in Worland with burial in the Riverview Cemetery there.

The Billings Gazette (Billings, MT) – Sunday, November 17, 1946

Joseph K. Harden, age about 22, was killed instantly on November 15, 1946 when a heavy gust of wind blew him from the top of an oil derrick in Wyoming.

He was born October 12, 1921, son of Chester M. and Celia K. Harden. Young Harden came here in 1937 with his parents when Mr. Harden was superintendent of the Illinois Producing Division of the Pure Oil Company.  The youth's father was transferred to Billings, Mont.  and he accompanied the family there.

He married Betty King of West Salem, Illinois.

Joe graduated from Olney Township High School and later attended Texas A.& M. University. He entered the Army where he received his commission as a lieutenant, serving in the European Theatre of war and in the occupation army in Germany.

He is survived by one daughter, Margaret Harden; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Harden; one brother, Jerry Harden; two sisters, Joyce and Judy.

He was buried in Worland, Wyoming

Published in Olney Advocate - November 21, 1946