Northwest Iowa — It was 30 years ago Wednesday, November 25th that two northwest Iowa members of the Iowa State University Women’s Cross Country Team, along with their coach, other team members, and their pilot were killed when their plane crashed in Des Moines.
Twenty-year old team member Sheryl Maahs of Spirit Lake, a 1983 graduate of Spirit Lake High School, and student trainer Stephanie Streit of Hawarden, a 1982 graduate of West Sioux High School were among those who lost their lives when their plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in Des Moines. The plane was one of three that were transporting members of the men’s and women’s teams back home following the NCAA Championships, where the ISU women’s team had finished second. The other two aircraft landed safely in Des Moines.
Also killed in the crash were Coach Ron Renko, team members 21-year old Julie Rose of Ashford, England, and 22-year old Susan Baxter of Breentwood, England, along with ISU Assistant Coach Pat Moynihan, and the plane’s Pilot, ISU Flight Service Director Burton Watkins.
A ceremony honoring those lost in the crash is scheduled for 4:00 pm Wednesday afternoon at the site of the crash in a quiet residential Des Moines neighborhood.
