Second Of 2 Women Struck By Lightning At Ipswich's Crane Beach Dies

BOSTON (CBS) – The second of two women struck by lightning in Ipswich a week ago has died.

Marianne Povell Mellnick, 69, of Concord, died at Mass. General Hospital Saturday.

Mellnick and her friend, Marguerite "Muggy" Tomany, 61, of North Grosvenor Dale, Conn., were both struck by lightning Sept. 6 at Crane Beach as they walked toward the street. Tomany died last week.

Ipswich police said their investigation found that the two women were not swimming when they were struck as originally thought.

Mellnick and Tomany had no pulse when police officers and firefighters began performing CPR on them at the beach. First responders were able to restore the women's pulses by the time they arrived at the hospital.

Mellnick worked in public finance and tax management before retiring in 2010.

A public service will be held for Mellnick at St. Michael's Church in Bedford on Friday.

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