Those who were lost

On occasion of the 25th anniversary in 1996, the Times compiled the following list of those who lost their lives in the 1971 flood:

1. William Beitleman, 63, of Murphy Road, Chadds Ford, Birmingham.

2. Lucille Cox, 64, of 1019N. Eyre Drive, Chester.

3. The Rev. Sherwood Dixon, 29, of the 400block of East 12th Street, Chester.

4. Mrs. Mary E. Hazzard, 69, of 1069N. Eyre Drive, Chester.

5. Charles Hoffman, 70, of 26W. 10th St., Chester.

6. David F. Lindsay, 63, of the 200 block of Glen Riddle Road, Middletown.

7. William C. Mitchell, 62, of the 800block of Concord Road, Aston.

8. Muriel V. Mitchell, 60, the latter’s wife.

9. Mrs. Dolores Snyder, 44, of the 600block of Convent Road, Aston.

10. Ralph Worrilow, 25, of the 3900block of Reynolds Road, Chester Township.

Along with flooding throughout Chester, the Toby Farms section of Chester Township and upstream areas through Brookhaven Borough and Aston, Middletown and Concord townships were all impacted by Chester Creek flooding. Lesser flooding was reported across Delaware County. Norristown, Montgomery County, joined Chester in receiving disaster area status from the state and federal governments.

Ralph Worrilow, of Toby Farms, served as a volunteer firefighter with Chester’s Moyamensing Hook and Ladder Co. Worrilow was swept to his death while evacuating two elderly Eyre Park residents in a rescue boat. In his memory, Chester Township renamed Reynolds Road as Worrilow Road and bestowed his name on Worrilow Park.