Shirer Family Genealogy Project - Person Page 11759

Shirer Family Genealogy Project
Person Page 11759

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Harvey Samuel Firestone III1,2

Male, b. 26 March 1930, d. 5 May 1960, #11759


 

Father Harvey Samuel Firestone Jr.1,2 b. 20 April 1898, d. 1 June 1973
Mother Elizabeth E. Parke1,2 b. 10 November 1897, d. 13 October 1990
Pop-up Pedigree

Note*   Harvey's residence on 2 May 1960, a few days before his death was St. Petersburg, Florida.

Harvey had suffered from Cerbral Palsy since childhood and was the supposed reason behind more than one suicide attempt, the last was succesfully carried out by jumping from a 20th story window while vacationing in Cuba.2 
Census* 1930  1930 Federal Census, Ohio, Summit County, Akron Township, Akron, Ward 8, ED: 77-147, Series: T626, Roll: 1880, Page: 18A, April 2
Sheet 18A, Block 85 Tract G, 50 Twin Oaks Road
(enumerated with father, Harvey S Firestone Jr)
05, 170, 179, Firestone, Harvey S III, Son, , , , No, M, W, 1/12, S, , No, No, Ohio, Illinois, Illinois, , 59, , , , , No, None, , , , , , , ,1 
Birth* 26 March 1930  Akron, Summit Co., OH1,2,3 
Marriage* 21 July 1956  OH, Principal=Beverly Lou McFarlan4 
Death* 5 May 1960  Havanna, Cuba2 
Burial* after 5 May 1960  Columbiana Cemetery, Fairfield Twp., Columbiana Co., OH2 
News/Obit 6 May 1960  News Item,
Firestone Heir Killed in Plunge

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 (AP) --Harvey S. Firestone III, 32. of the wealthy tire manufacturing family, plunged to his death Thursday night from the 20th floor of the Havana Hilton hotel. Cuban officials ruled his death a suicide.



A spastic, Firestone had been crippled from birth and was confined to a wheelchair.



Havana police said a cousin, David M. Firestone, 29, of Sarasota, Fla., told them the young heir had tried to commit suicide two months ago in Florida.



Lands on Roof



Police gave this account:



Firestone had been lying on a couch while his attendant, William J. Didas of St. Petersburg, Fla., was taking a bath. Clad only in white shorts, Firestone crawled to the balcony of his suite and from a chair top either fell or jumped over a 3 ? foot aluminum grill barrier.



He struck a third floor parapet above the main entrance to the 25 story hotel in the heart of the Cuban capital's fashionable Vedado district.



Grandson of Founder



The victim was the only son of Harvey S. Firestone Jr. of Akron, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the Firestone Tire and Rubber company and the son of the founder of the company.



The younger Firestone made his home in St. Petersburg.



Havana police said Harvey and David firestone and Didas registered at the hotel Thursday and said they planned to stay three days.



Graduated in Law



Altho unable to write because of his infirmity, Firestone, with the aid of a tutor, was graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami and finished third in his class at the Stetson university law school in 1959.



The tutor, Everett E. Cushman of Gulfport, Fla., said he and Firestone had planned to open a law office together.



Firestone married Beverly Lou McFarlan of Brecksville, O., July 21, 1956, and their daughter, Diane Elizabeth, was born Sept. 15. 1958.



He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Parke Firestone, and three sisters, Mrs. William C. Ford of Detroit, wife of the vice president of the Ford Motor company, and Mrs. Charles S. Willis Jr., and Mrs. John E. Ball, both of New York City.



Firestone's grandfather was Guy J. Parke, Decatur, Ill., business man.




Appeared in the Chicago Tribune (IL) - May 06, 1960


4 
News/Obit* 7 May 1960  News Item,
FIRESTONE HEIR RULED SUICIDE BY CUBAN JUDGE

HAVANA, May 6 (AP) -- A Cuban judge Friday ruled as suicide the death of Harvey S. Firestone III, heir of the wealthy rubber family who plunged from the 20th floor of his hotel suite. He had been crippled since birth with cerebral palsy.



A cousin said the 30 year old Firestone tried to jump from a speeding car in Florida two months ago. He was a lawyer and resident of St. Petersburg.



Firestone arrived at the Havana Hilton hotel Thursday with his cousin, David Firestone, 29, of Sarasota, Fla., and an attendant, William J. Didas of St. Petersburg. They had left him alone in his room.



Firestone leaves his wife, the former Beverly Lou Mc-Farlan of Becksville, O., and a 19 month old daughter, Diane Elizabeth. He was a grandson of the founder of the Firestone Rubber company and a son of Harvey S. Firestone Jr., present head of the company.




Appeared in the Chicago Tribune (IL) - May 07, 1960


4 
Burial after 7 May 1960  Columbiana Cemetery, Columbiana, Columbiana Co., OH, Inscription: In Loving
Memory Of
Harvey
Samuel
Firestone III
March 26, 1930
May 5, 1960

Cheerful, Greathearted
And Brave

Dedicated Churchman And
Apostle Of The Moral Life

Brilliant Scholar
In The Field Of Law

Devoted Son And Brother
Loving Husband And Father3

Family Beverly Lou McFarlan b. circa 1930
Marriage* 21 July 1956  OH, Principal=Beverly Lou McFarlan4 
Child  1. Diane Elizabeth Firestone b. 15 Sep 1958

Last Edited 21 Jul 2022

Citations
  1. [S248] 1930 U.S. Federal Census , 1930 U.S. Federal Census.
  2. [S658] Firestone Family of Frederick Co. MD (1993), George Ely Russell.
  3. [S626] Find-A-Grave, online http://www.findagrave.com.
  4. [S323] News Bank.


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