Debra Jean White Ball Martindale  1955 - 1978

Born February 11, 1955 French Camp [Stockton], CA.  Died January 10, 1978 Bountiful, Utah.  

Debra Jean and Jennifer Lee Martindale
Joint funeral services for Debra Jean White Ball age 22 and her daughter, Jennifer Lee age 10 months, who were victims of a fire that engulfed their home in Bountiful on Jan. 10, was held Friday, Jan. 13, 1078 at 10 a.m. in the Bountiful Fifth Ward Chapel, 990 North 100 West.

Debra Jean was born February 11, 1955 in French Camp, California to Major Thomas W. White, U.S.A.F. (ret), and Roxey Mabey White. She married Steven Floyd Ball, May 8, 1971 and was later divorced. She married Clinton Edward Martindale.  She is survived by her husband of Bountiful; a son, George Wayne Ball and a daughter, Laura Lynn Ball, both of Bountiful; her parents, Major and Mrs. Thomas W. White of North Salt Lake; grandfather, Daniel L. Mabey of Oakley, Idaho.

Jennerer Lee Martindale was born March 3, 1977 in Salt Lake City, to Clinton Edward and Debra Jean White Ball Martindale.  She is survived by her father of Bountiful; brother, George Wayne Ball and sister, Laura Lynn Ball, both of Bountiful; grandparents, Major and Mrs. Thomas W. White of North Salt Lake and Mr. and Mrs. Eldon L. Martindale of Bountiful.  ALSO surviving are Mrs. Leone Martindale and Mrs. Rosa May Davis, both of Pocatello, Idaho and Daniel L. Mabey of Oakley, Idaho. 
    Friends called at the Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and at the 'Ward Chapel Friday one hour prior to service.  INTERMENT was in the Bountiful Memorial Park.
    Davis County Clipper January 13, 1978 Page 4

FIRE KILLS MOM, BABY - By GARY R. BLODGETT
    [Photo caption: Bountiful Fire Chief Darrell McIlrath shows Detective Lt. Don Taylor (in suit) playpen in which baby was killed in mobile home fire Tuesday morning. Tot's mother also died in the back bedroom while husband and another child escaped. It was second mobile home fire in Bountiful and third in Davis County -- in one week.]
    A Bountiful man who escaped with minor injuries from a mobile home fire that killed his wife and baby daughter J told police that he "tried desperately to save his family."
    Clinton Martindale, 20, told Bountiful police that he woke his wife and "tried desperately to get to his two children, one in an adjoining bedroom and the baby in a playpen in the living room."
    "We were all asleep when the fire started, but I woke up smelling smoke," he said. "I woke Debora (his wife) and tried to get to the front of the trailer to get the kids but it was too hot and smoky.
    "I made it part way up the trailer toward the living room where little Jennifer was asleep in her playpen. But it was no use, the heat and smoke were too much. I remember trying to get out the back bedroom door and couldn't.  I finally plunged through the back door window"
    Detective Sgt. Don Taylor said Mr. Martindale could not open the rear bedroom door because the door was locked and there was no inside door knob.
    Killed in the fire, which started about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, were Debora, 22, and Jennifer Martindale, the couple's 10 month old daughter.
    Laura Ball, 3 1/2, years old, daughter of Debora by a previous marriage, suffered third degree burns on the lower half of her body and the loss of one eye. She is repotted in "critical condition" at the University of Utah Medical Center Burn Unit after receiving emergency treatment at Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful.
    She was rescued from the burning trailer by Bountiful City Fireman Bob Farnes who entered the trailer wearing a smoke mask. He found the child in a bedroom near the middle of the trailer, between the fire and where Mrs. Martindale was found. She was lying face down, and apparently formed an air pocket.
    Mrs. Martindale appeared to have tried to get out of bed but was overcome with smoke, according to fire officials. She apparently died of smoke Inhalation and extensive heat.  Her body was found lying crossways on the bed in the back bedroom.
    Firemen gave oxygen and emergency treatment to the older child at the scene and she was rushed to the hospital by ambulance which had been summoned earlier and was at the scene when the child was found.
    Mr. Martindale told police Detective Diana Stevens that "he thought his wife was following him out of the, trailer or perhaps had made it to the living room on the inside.
    "After getting outside, I immediately tried to enter the trailer through the front door, but I couldn't get in," said Mr. Martindale. "The entire living room and kitchen area were on fire."
    Fire Chief Darrell McIlrath said Mr. Martindale was standing outside the burning trailer when we arrived. He was wearing only his shorts.
   "He appeared to be in shock but did say he had tried to rescue his family. He said his baby was just inside the front door."
    Chief McIlrath said: "I opened the charred door and reached into a playpen and felt something small. At first I thought it was a pet but then realized it was the baby." 
    He said Mr. Martindale suffered several cuts when he dove through the window. The injured man was treated at the hospital for cuts and shock, and later released.
    Even after the children had been taken from the trailer, firemen became apprehensive when it was learned that Mrs. Martindale sometimes took in other children to tend and a thorough search was made of the debris.
    It was the second mobile home fire in the city in little more than 24 hours.
    An unoccupied mobile home being leased by Bountiful City as a pro shop and office at the City Golf Course burned to the ground early (2:30 a.m.) Monday, causing about $20,000 damage to the structure and golf equipment and clothing being stored inside.
    Chief McILRATH said the two deaths Tuesday were the first fire victims in Bountiful since October 1973 when a woman and her daughter died of smoke inhalation in a home fire.
    Dean Barrett, owner of the Tradewinds Trailer Park, 990 North 500 West, said the family had moved into the trailer about three weeks ago. 
    Davis County Clipper January 13, 1978 Page 19

LAURA LYNN BALL - Dies Of Burns In Bountiful Trailer Fire
    A 3 1/2-year-old girl who was critically burned in a mobile home fire in Bountiful, Jan. 10 died last Friday at University of Utah Hospital Burn Center.
   The girl, Laura Lynn Ball, was the third member of the family to perish in the fire at the Tradewinds Trailer Park, 990 North 500 West. Also killed in the fire were the girl's mother, Deborah Martindale, 22, and her half-sister, Jennifer, age 10 months.
    The girl's stepfather, Clinton Martindale, 20, escaped from the burning mobile home by diving through a rear bedroom window after first trying desperately to save his family.
   Laura Lynn was saved from the blazing mobile home by Bountiful Fireman Bob Farnes and was given emergency treatment at the scene. She was burned over 55 percent of her body and had suffered the loss of an eye, according to a hospital spokesman.
    She WAS born April 30, 1974 in Burbank, Calif, to Steven Floyd and Debra Jean White Ball.
   She is survived by her father of Bountiful, brother George Wayne Ball and half-brother Jeffrey Myles Ball, Bountiful; grandparents, Floyd Ball, Heber City; Lila Ball, Bountiful and Major and. Mrs. Thomas (Roxey) White, North Salt Lake; great-grandparents, Lura Dunn, Provo; Arina Cameron, Salt Lake City; Daniel L. Mabey, Oakley, Ida.
    FUNERAL services were held Monday, Jan. 16, 1978. Interment was in Bountiful Memorial Park.
     Davis County Clipper January 20, 1978 Page 5