Retired Lawrence couple dies in wreck in East St. Louis area

A Lawrence couple whose dream was to travel in retirement died Monday when their RV blew a tire, crashed on Interstate 64 and was engulfed in flames.

The victims were Ervin F. Huslig, 68, and Mary Ann Huslig, 63. Both were retired from the University of Kansas.

“They were so in love,” daughter Lawanna Huslig-Hanks said Tuesday. “Their dream, ever since I was a child, was to travel. They were living their dream. They never wanted to be apart.”

They were heading to Paducah, Ky., to meet with Mary Ann Huslig’s best friend for a weekend quilting show.

They had recently spent six months in south Texas camping at a federal animal reserve. They would often spend several months at state or federal parks, Huslig-Hanks said.

Police said the couple’s RV was heading east and towing a Chrysler minivan about 5:30 p.m. Monday when their RV blew a right tire.

Ervin Huslig, the driver of the RV, lost control, and the vehicle hit a metal pole that holds a large interstate sign. The RV burst into flames near the 25th Street exit, said Illinois State Trooper Calvin Dye Jr.

Witnesses told police that Ervin Huslig was trapped inside the RV and Mary Ann Huslig was outside the vehicle. The intensity of the fire prevented witnesses from rescuing the victims, Dye said.

All three lanes of eastbound Interstate 64 were closed for about five hours after the crash.

Huslig-Hanks said through tears Tuesday that her parents had four children and 10 grandchildren. She said her father was a locksmith at KU and her mother worked in the bursar’s office.

“They enjoyed fishing and meeting people,” Huslig-Hanks said.

This story was originally published April 21, 2015 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Retired Lawrence couple dies in wreck in East St. Louis area."