MN MN - Ione Rehwinkle, 23, Rochester, 1 January 1952

[Richard]

Ione Ruth Rehwinkle

• 

Rehwinkle, circa 1952

• Missing Since 01/01/1952
• Missing From Rochester, Minnesota
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Date of Birth 12/11/1928 (91)
• Age 23 years old
• Height and Weight 5'4, 115 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair. Rehwinkle's nickname is Growt.

Details of Disappearance

Rehwinkle was last seen in Rochester, Minnesota sometime in 1952. She was divorced, had a job at a local bar, and was mother to a one-year-old son. Her family believes she was abducted, either from her front yard or by sailors while she was working the night shift at the bar.

She has never been heard from again and the original missing persons report was lost or destroyed. Little information is available in her case, but her family still hopes for resolution.

Investigating Agency

• Rochester Police Department

Source Information

• NamUs
• Websleuths
• Ione Rehwinkle's family
• Ione Ruth Rehwinkle – The Charley Project

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Ione Rehwinkle has been missing for 70 years.

 

[Richard]

70 Years Missing...

Ione Ruth Growt Rehwinkle
BIRTH 11 Dec 1928
Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA
DEATH 1952 (aged 23–24)

LINK:

Ione Ruth Growt Rehwinkle (1928-1952) - Find a...

 

[Laughing]

So there was no match to the remains found in Colorado, mentioned upthread?

 

[John/Jane Doe]

I've just submitted both cases in a comparison to the Doe Network, they said that they've put the cases on their matches panel! Let's hope this will result in a positive identification

I've just submitted both cases in a comparison to the Doe Network, they said that they've put the cases on their matches panel! Let's hope this will result in a positive identification

Did you get any response from this?

 

[Richard]

Bumping this thread up. Ione's case is included in the Minnesota BCA's Missing Person Clearinghouse website.

LINK:

https://portal.dps.mn.gov/bca/unsolved-cases/UnsolvedCasesDocuments/Rehwinkle-Ione.pdf

 

[aburdick]

Currently working with the Doe Network and learned that the reason you haven't received an answer on the CO comparison is that there is, apparently, no DNA to be had from the unidentified remains. I'm having them look into it again. Things I've learned in researching this:
1) It was not unusual in that era to destroy records after a period of time unless it was a death or fatality
2) Other missing women cases from the area were put out to the media; there are none for Ione
Why? Could it be that the police did not feel there was foul play? Is that what was told to them? We don't know. I can't verify that a report was filed in 1952.
3) A lot had happened in Ione's life in a short matter of time:
1950-Grandpa dies, 1950-Divorce, 1951-Mom dies, 1951-Son is born, 1951 (Nov) Mom's estate goes to probate, 1952 - probate closes, 1952-Ione goes missing
4) Robert Rehwinkle does go into the Air Force in 1951, but I have no records that he did not come back to Rochester. The next record I can find is that he is in Offut, OK in Feb. 1952. Unless there is someone that can find his military records I'm not sure he should be ruled out if we're talking foul play.
5) I've come up with 3 possible bars so far: The Hollywood, The Normandy Bar and possibly Morey's Bar. My hunch says The Hollywood Bar. It depends what they are considering the main drag. I would assume Broadway.
6) I found 2 possibilities, although 1 quite remote, of "sailors" possibly being in Rochester:
04/19/52 - Navy Band performs at the Civic Center in Rochester (just 3 blocks from Broadway)
06/23/52 - "Scottish Navy" - gypsies are in town, known for door to door sales/thefts

What I'd like to know:
Any military records for Robert.
Who took care of Ione's children after she left?
Who applied for the death certificate?

As far as serial killers go, I do have one of interest that was working, not in MN, but in the surrounding states and for sure in Colorado. I have to do more research before I am confident.

 

[Richard]

...What I'd like to know:
Any military records for Robert...

Robert's military records would be maintained on file at the National Military Personnel Records Center (NMPRC) at Saint Louis, Missouri. They have a website and forms for requesting records.

Usually only the service person can order their records or someone who has been given written permission OR a family member or funeral home/cemetery official requesting records to support a VA funeral benefits application (and for that often an obituary or death certificate is required).

However, there is also a way to request records called "the 62 year rule", which states that 62 years after the last service record has been archived with NMPRC anyone can request a copy.

LINK:

National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)

National Personnel Records Center 1 Archives Drive St. Louis, MO 63138 Telephone: 314-801-0800 Fax: 314-801-9195 See the Press Kit "Natural Disaster" Requests If you live in a community that was impacted by a natural disaster and need priority service to replace a Separation Document (usually...

www.archives.gov

 

[Richard]

This case is an example of how various websites assign the date of "1 January" when only the year a person went missing is known.

 

[FromGermany1]

Ione does have pictures in the 1945 and 1946 Winona High year books.
She would have been class of 1947 but there isn't a book for that year available. They are group pictures so they aren't the clearest.

I assume the image above is possibly her senior picture but I'll email the school to see if they can scan the 1947 one.

Does anyone know the name of the bar? she must have had a baby sitter for the children if she worked nights.

Did she live with her mother and grandma cared for the children?

 

[beubeubeu]

This case is an example of how various websites assign the date of "1 January" when only the year a person went missing is known.

Its not only websites. Its just what everyone seems to do. In my country back in the day it was hard to find anyone who was born on one last days of December cause most people and officials were of the belief that no reason to sign a baby to old year if they can have a nice date in the new year. With missing people it seems to be pretty common - I assume if it was hard to narrow down the exact day of the month when person went missing 1st day of the month seem to be the "safe" option to go, to surely avoid "worse" mistake of officially claiming that someone went missing later than they actually did. 1st day of the month if its the matter of days. 1st day of the year if it was unsure what months.
There is a solid logic behind it... till someone else looks at the report and tries to figure things out. It would be so much better if it was stated clearly each time: last confirmed sighting happened on day xx.xx.xx but its possible that person went missing three days later, or a week later.

 

[aburdick]

Did she live with her mother and grandma cared for the children?

Her mother passed before she went missing.

 

[aburdick]

...What I'd like to know:
Any military records for Robert...

Robert's military records would be maintained on file at the National Military Personnel Records Center (NMPRC) at Saint Louis, Missouri. They have a website and forms for requesting records.

Usually only the service person can order their records or someone who has been given written permission OR a family member or funeral home/cemetery official requesting records to support a VA funeral benefits application (and for that often an obituary or death certificate is required).

However, there is also a way to request records called "the 62 year rule", which states that 62 years after the last service record has been archived with NMPRC anyone can request a copy.

LINK:

National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)

National Personnel Records Center 1 Archives Drive St. Louis, MO 63138 Telephone: 314-801-0800 Fax: 314-801-9195 See the Press Kit "Natural Disaster" Requests If you live in a community that was impacted by a natural disaster and need priority service to replace a Separation Document (usually...

www.archives.gov

Thank you, I'll look into it.

 

[summergirl1]

Does anyone know where Mildred is buried or if she was cremated?

Her obit says she was buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Rochester. She was probably buried without being cremated first, as that wasn't common in 1951. Mildred was Ione's mother for more recent followers of this thread (the quoted post is from some time ago).

 

[summergirl1]

My husband said that his aunt Helen took him to a bar back in the 70's, on main street in Rochester and told him that was the last place his mother was seen. He doesn't remember the name of the bar but if anyone knows the names of some of them from the 70's he might remember if he heard it.

If his aunt actually pointed out a bar, then I would believe it. She may or may not have remembered the correct bar, of course. But, more than likely she did. It doesn't sound like Ione's ex husband had anything to do with this.

 

[summergirl1]

My husband is Iones son, his Grandfather and Uncle would never talk about her disappearing. We have heard 2 different things from other family members. one is that she worked at a bar and there was a bunch of sailors in that night and she never came home. the other was she was grabbed by some men while she was in her yard so don't know which is true. It was quite the family secret. As for her marraige to Robert Rehwinkle they were divorced before she disappeared, My husband has the Rehwinkle last name but he claimed he was not his father but was his sisters father. My Husband (Dave) has given his DNA to the Doe network about 5 years ago. That is the only picture he has of his mother.

If you had your husband give DNA to sites like Ancestry, then you could find out whether Robert Rehrwinkle really was his biological father, or if it was someone else. If he had another father, then maybe it's possible that man might have had something to do with Ione's disappearence?

 

[summergirl1]

Robert Rehwinkle obit, March 16, 1983.

 

[cenazoic]

Robert Rehwinkle does go into the Air Force in 1951, but I have no records that he did not come back to Rochester. The next record I can find is that he is in Offut, OK

Offutt AFB is in Omaha, NE - possibly a typo/mistake in the record? I can’t find an Offut, OK.

Minor point of interest, having driven it many times: Omaha is the rough halfway point between Minneapolis (~6 hrs) and Denver (~7ish hours). Looks like Rochester is about 5 hours from Omaha.