Dorine Kaye Wilson 1935-1946

WILSON, LONGMAN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/22/2012 at 00:23:23

Boat Capsizes on 4th With Seven, Child Drowns
Dorine Wilson of Estherville Victim of Boat Accident
Haywards Bay was the scene of West Okoboji’s first drowning of the year when Dorine Kaye Wilson of Estherville lost her life as the result of a capsized outboard motor boat on July 4th at 5:40 p.m.

The eight-year-old child was attending a P.G. Gray Produce Co. employees’ picnic at the Gray cottage on Haywards bay with her grandmother, Mrs. Longman, and her uncle, Louis Wilson. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Verl Wilson.

Seven picnickers went out in the new boat which was operated by P.E. Palmer. Mr. Palmer reports that the boat got into the wake of a speed boat and waves from the craft broke over the bow to such a degree that it capsized.

Those rescued were Mrs. Oma Benda, Mrs. Dorothy Mustard and daughter, Patricia, Louis Wilson and daughter, Clara, and Palmer. Wilson is Dorine’s uncle.

Dorine’s body was found at 1:20 Friday morning by the conservation commission lake patrol after a seven-hour search. The patrol first tried to locate it with grappling hooks, then dragged the area twice with a net but were unsuccessful. They had returned to use of the hooks when the body was recovered.

The boat sank about 50 yards off shore in15 feet of water, according to Palmer. He said that Mrs. Mustard and Mrs. Benda, both large women and three children were riding forward in the boat and he thought the weight at that point, coupled with action of a wave, caused it to sink.

Palmer said he knew at once the craft was going down when it began taking water and that he told all six passengers to grab hold of the sides. He was the only one in the party that could swim, although Wilson, he said could paddle dog fashion.

All became hysterical and failed to heed his advice, he said. Palmer swam around the area pulling the others to the capsized boat and fastening their hands to its sides. However, he explained, that in panic they let go again.

Palmer said that he yelled for help immediately after the boat sank and that Eldon and Lee Mustard came out in a boat and succeeded in getting Mrs. Mustard aboard.

Dr. Lee Prewitt of Ottumwa, a house guest of the Fosters of Sioux Falls, saw the boat sink from Foster’s dock, which is located a short distance east of the P.G. Gray cottage, where the picnic was held. Prewitt called to Foster, who was inside the cottage and Foster started his launch and went immediately to the scene. He first threw out life preservers and then started pulling the accident victims aboard.

Foster said that the women and children were hysterical and that it wasn’t until he got the five ashore that it was learned that Dorine wa missing.
Soon afterwards several men, good swimmers and divers, went out to the area that Foster marked with buoys and searched for the little girl, but couldn’t locate her.

Rescue efforts were delayed when cottagers were unable to get a telephone connection with the office of the conservation commission’s lake patrol. Calls were placed from the Foster cottage and members of the Foster party said that they were unable at first to get an operator and that when they did, the operator apparently did not know at first how to get in touch with the patrol office. They asked for both the Spirit Lake police and fire departments but did not get either.

Dorine’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Verl Wilson, were not at the picnic. Dorine was a guest of her grandmother, Mrs. Emma Longman.

Palmer said that before he left shore with the boat he had asked Wilson to wait with Dorine until the next trip but that they got into the craft and he left with six passengers.

The boat, a new one received Tuesday, belongs to P.G. Gray and the outboard motor used to drive it was given to Gray last Christmas by his employees.

The accident took place before the picnic supper was served and the tragic happening saddened the group of almost 100, who had looked forward to an enjoyable fourth.

The child’s parents did not learn of the accident until 11 o’clock Thursday night, when Louis Wilson, Dorine’s uncle, and her grandmother, Mrs. Longman, came to the Wilson residence at 503 Ninth avenue north with the family’s physician, Dr. L.E. Collins, and told them.

Dorine Kaye is survived by her father and mother and one brother, Gene, and her grandmother, Mrs. Emma Longman, all of Estherville. Two brothers and one sister preceded her in death. (Spirit Lake Beacon, Spirit Lake, IA, July 11, 1946)