JOHNSON, Robert J. 1931-1944
JOHNSON, LANGDON, BACKERMAN
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 4/22/2014 at 23:47:39
[Waterloo Daily Courier, Sunday, May 14, 1944, Waterloo, Iowa]
YOUTH DROWNED, SAYS STATEMENT BY THE CORONER
Searching Party Organized After Spaniel Returns Home Alone.
Cedar Falls — The body of 12-year-old Robert Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Johnson of Cedar Falls, was found about 8 p.m. Friday lying face downward in a shallow pool of water in a gravel pit three blocks west of the city garbage dump and west of Main Street, ending a four hour search.
Robert, in ill health for the last year, had been in the habit of wandering off by himself on pleasant days to enjoy the out of doors, his parents said. His father is section foreman for the Illinois Central railroad and the family has been living near the depot
Last person to see the lad was Glenn Chapman, city dog catcher, at the dump. Chapman said the boy told him he thought he would go swimming and that when Chapman advised against it the boy moved on.
Johnson and his wife became alarmed about 4 p.m. when Robert's constant companion, a black cocker spaniel, returned home dripping with water.
A searching party was organized and the body was found by Donald Rowzee, 12, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rowzee, 410 Grand Boulevard, and Harvey Ploeger, also 12. son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ploeger, 319 Grant Street.
Dr. Sidney D. Smith, Black Hawk County coroner, said the boy's death was caused by accidental drowning and that there will be no inquest.
Robert was born Nov. 4, 1931, at Cedar Falls.
Surviving besides the parents are two brothers, Raymond, 1117 Burton Avenue, Waterloo, and Melvin, in the marines, stationed at Oceanside, Cal.; also a sister, Mrs. Harold Backerman, 1021 Rainbow Drive. J. E. Langdon, 815 Main Street, is the maternal grandfather.
The body was taken to the Brown Funeral Home.
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Burial at Greenwood Cemetery, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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