Loading...Biography
Joseph Kanalley was born on 9 May 1945 in Buffalo. He was the son of Wallace Kanalley and Mildred McQuaid.
He married Sandra Obermiller on 9 July 1966[1].
He passed away tragically in an accident while working with his father as a steeplejack on 17 December 1968 in Tonawanda. He was only 23 years old. He was buried at Cold Springs Cemetery in Lockport, Niagara Co, NY[2].
An article in the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal the next day, Wednesday, December 18, 1968, provided the following details on his tragic accident:[3]:
Steeplejack Killed In Fall While On Job With Father
A Lockport man stood helpless as his son fell 60 feet to his death from a chimney Tuesday (Dec. 17, 1968) at the Allied Chemical Corp. Semet Solvay Division plant on River Road, Tonawanda. Dead is Joseph James Kanalley, 23, of 39 Park Place, Lockport. His father Wallace J. Kanalley, of the same address, told the Union-Sun and Journal today that he heard his son call to him to "look out." A few seconds later he found his son on the ground. Both father and son are steeplejacks for International Chimney Corp. of Buffalo, 3618 Delaware Ave. They were preparing to move to another plant location later in the day.
Mr. Kanalley said that he is not sure what happened but believes that his son was carrying a heavy rope over his shoulder prior to the fall. He said his son was between 50 and 60 feet up the chimney at the time of the accident. He was dead on arrival at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, Town of Tonawanda. Hospital authorities said he suffered a fractured skull and other injuries.
Sources
- ↑ New York State Marriage Index, https://www.ancestry.com.
- ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188211225/joseph-james-kanalley : accessed 18 December 2021), memorial page for Joseph James Kanalley (9 May 1945–17 Dec 1968), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188211225, citing Cold Springs Cemetery, Lockport, Niagara County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Jen Niethe (contributor 49186528) .
- ↑ Fulton Search, collection of old newspapers, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, "Steeplejack Killed In Fall While On Job With Father", 18 December 1968, pg. 1. Article link.
- Birth and death records