The 10-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Clemens of rural Eyota was dead on arrival at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester at 8:50 p.m. Monday after a basketball hoop and backboard fell and struck him on the head at the farm home of his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. James Clemens of rural Eyota. Olmsted County sheriff's officers said the backboard and hoop toppled while Mark was swinging on a rope strung from the two-by-fours supporting the backboard to a nearby tree. The swinging apparently caused the support to give way, they said.

The families of Donald and James Clemens, live on adjacent farms.

Mark Donald, born June 9, 1959, was a fourth grader at Eyota Elementary School last year.

Survivors include his parents; five sisters, Linda, Kay, Karen, Lori and Julie, all at home; his paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Clemens of Eyota and maternal grandparents. Mr. and Mrs. William Palmby of Rochester. A brother, Gary, died in 1967.

A Funeral Mass will be offered by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. A. P. Layne at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church here at 10 a.m. Thursday. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Friends may call at Sellner Funeral Home in St. Charles after 1 p.m. Wednesday. The Rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Source - Rochester Post-Bulletin - Jul 22, 1969