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Paynesville Press - June 19, 2002

Driver killed in accident while on postal route

Margaret Ampe-Buttweiler, 47, died on Thursday, June 13, from injuries she received in a car accident at the intersection of County Road 10 and County Road 195 near St. Martin.

Ampe-Buttweiler, a 1973 graduate of Paynesville High School, was delivering mail on Paynesville's Route 1 at the time of the accident. She had worked as a substitute driver for the post office for the past several months.

She was driving a 1989 Chrysler, headed eastbound on County Road 195 around 11 a.m., when she collided with a 1995 Dodge Caravan, driven by Sonia Dougherty, 37, of Paynesville, who was northbound on County Road 10, according to the Stearns County Sheriff's Department. After the collision, both vehicles went into the ditch and Ampe-Buttweiler's vehicle rolled over.

Ampe-Buttweiler was transported by the Paynesville Area Ambulance to the Paynesville Area Hospital and then airlifted to the St. Cloud Hospital, where she died.

She is believed to be the first Paynesville postal worker killed while on duty.

Sonia Dougherty and her passenger, Richard Dougherty, 55, also of Paynesville, were transported to the St. Cloud Hospital by ambulance for treatment.

The Stearns County Sheriff's Department was assisted at the scene by the Minnesota State Patrol, by the St. Martin Fire Department, by the Paynesville Area Ambulance, and Gold Cross Ambulance.

After high school, Ampe-Buttweiler earned an accounting degree from the College of St. Benedict, a master's degree in physics from the University of Minnesota, and a doctorate from the Northwestern College of Chiropractic.

She is survived by her daughter, Mari, and her parents, Charles and Margaret Ampe, all of Paynesville.

A full obituary for Ampe-Buttweiler can be found on page 8 of the Paynesville Press.