The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-03-23
Dr. s. p Rentz Meets Death; "
Neck Broken BY Ouertur1ed Car

sad news Tuesday afternoon Of the
death of Dr.. S. P. Rentz, who met an
untimely end on the Hunters Chapel
road as he was returning home from
Bamberg when his Ford automobile
overturned in a ditch by the roadside
about o'clock in the afternoon.
When the news first reached Bam-
berg, it was thought DR.. Rentz had
been pinned under his car in several
feet of water and drowned, but ex-
animation by hastily summoned ply
sicians revealed the fact that his
neck had been broken and death was,
therefore, instantaneous.
DR.. Rentz was in Bamberg. about
2 o'clock in the afternoon and left
here going to his home, perhaps max
ing some professional calls on his
way, as was his custom in his extern
sive practice. Supervisor w. B.
Smoak, his son and salesman were
in an automobile a short distance
behind DR.. Rentz, and were witnesses
to the sad tragedy. AS Dr.. Rentz's
car reached a point about one mile
north of Hunters Chapel Baptist
tchurch, Mr.. Smoak's party saw the
machine go into the ditch and turn
completely over. They hurried to the
spot and attempted to remove the
car and extricate Dr.. Rentz, but it
was found that the three men were
unable to get it out and help had to
be secured.
Some twenty minutes had elapsed
before the car was lifted out, and the
limp form of the beloved physician
removed. In the meantime one OF
the party had been dispatched to
Bamberg for physicians, and Drs. A.
S. Weekley and H. J. Stuckey made
record run thinking that perhaps his
life might be saved from drowning,
but the examination showed that
drowning was not the cause of death,
but a broken neck. The body had
been caught in some way under the
car when it overturned. No other
bruises were found on the body, and
the lungs were not filed with water.
- The body was removed to the doc
tors home a short distance beyond,
and the funeral and interment oc-
Cured at Zion Methodist church
nearby. Ornan lodge, No. i38, A. F.
NJ, was in charge of the burial, DIR.
Rentz being a most faithful and de-
voted member of this lodge, of which
he was the treasurer for many years.
In addition to his connection with
the Masonic lodge, DR.. Rentz was a
member of the Scottish Rite, the
Knights Templar and the Shriners,
all of which he took a deep interest
in.
Simon Peter Rentz was born 81
years ago a short distance from his
late home, the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Jacob Rentz, who preceded him to the
grave last year, his mother being
buried one year ago from the date
of his death. He received his boy
hood schooling in the neighborhood,
and then entered the South Carolina
Medical college, Charleston, COM
pleting his professional EDUCATION at
the University of Maryland, Balti-
more. On completing his medical
training, DR.. Rentz located in Cot
tageville, where he was physician for
the Horse Shoe Mining company, a.
thriving industry at that time. After
remaining in Cottageville for four
or five years, he decided to return to
his old home for the practice of his
profession, and since that time has
lived at Hunters Chapel.
He was married to Miss Hattie
Rhoad, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. N.
B. Rhoad, of Hunters Chapel, the
former of whom survives him. Two
children survive him, Horace and
Ralph Rentz, the former residing
with his parents and the latter re-
siding a short distance from the old
home place. The following brothers
and sisters survive him: c. W.
Rentz, Sr., Bamberg; D. P. Rentz,
Lakeland, Fla; Mrs. ]. L. Herndon,
Hunters Chapel; Mrs. Docia Blocker,
Charleston; Mrs. E. F. Mcmillan, Ha-
hira, Ga; Mrs. Annie E. Jones, Nu-
matilla, Fla, and Mrs. Frances Folk,
Bamberg.
Not a person in Bamberg will be
more sorely missed from his COM
munity than DR.. Rentz. Electing to
serve his own people in his profess
sional career, he had deeply en-
trenched himself in the hearts Of his
constituents. His dispOsition was