ENYART, Russell Lee 1938-1961

SMITH, ENYART, JENKINS, BRAINARD, STEE

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 2/12/2003 at 20:07:51

RUSSELL LEE ENYART

Youth Drowns Sunday Morning In Farm Pond

Russell Enyart, Jr., 22, Waukon, drowned about 11:00 a.m. Sunday in a farm pond on the George Brainard farm about six miles north of Postville.

John Brainard, son of George Brainard, was in a boat on the pond fishing. His two small children had gotten out of the boat and were sitting on a float in the middle of the pond.

Enyart, cousin of John, drove up to the pond, jumped into the water and attempted to swim to the float. He sank before reaching the raft and never came back up. Brainard, though unable to swim, rowed his boat to the area where Enyart went down and attempted to reach the boy with a paddle to no avail.

The Postville Volunteer Fire Department's rescue unit was called. The body was recovered about 35 minutes later but efforts to revive the youth were futile.

Russell Lee Enyart, son of Russell C. and Adeline Smith Enyart, was born at Waukon, July 13, 1938.

He died Sunday, July 2, 1961, while swimming in a pond on the John Brainard farm.

At the age of 13 months his mother passed away and he went to live with the George Brainard family where he was reared during his entire life with the exception of three years which were spent in the United States Army. Russell was on duty in Germany during most of the time he was in the service of his country.

He united with the Community Presbyterian Church on confession of faith on January 6, 1952.

Russell received his education in the Evergreen rural school and at the Postville high school.

He leaves to mourn his departure, his father Russell C. Enyart, his step-mother, Mrs. Helen Enyart, both of Waukon; one sister, Nola of Postville; three half brothers, Allen, Gary and Bruce Enyart of Waukon, one half sister, Mrs. Donald Jenkins of Waukon, the George Brainard family who loved him as their own, and his fiancee, Miss Karen Stee of Castalia, to whom he was to have been married, on Monday, July 3.

Funeral services were held at the community Presbyterian Church, Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Walter T. Martin in charge of the rites. Burial was in the Postville cemetery.

Postville Herald newspaper clipping from my mother's obituary collection.