Dolinsek, Johnny – d. 1943

DOLINSEK

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:29

Rites Are Held At Colfax For Johnny Dolinsek
Colfax (Special to The Daily News) – Funeral services were held Friday morning at the Immaculate Conception Catholic church here for Johnny Dolinsek, 15-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dolinsek, who drowned last Sunday while wading in the South Skunk river with his pal. Billy Talsma.
The Rev. Father D. F. Cahalan, priest of the church, was in charge of the services. He was assisted by Jimmy Shepley and Ricardo Susic, altar boys.
Pallbearers were Bobby Scarborough, Skippy Heatherly, Arch Stremfel, Joe Stremfel, Jack Batty and Richard DeBruyn, all young friends of Johnny.
Music was provided by Mrs. W. P. Flaherty and Mrs. Jennie Bridie. Mrs. John Doyle and Mrs. Wayne Wheatcraft were in charge of the flowers. Burial was in the Highland cemetery at Colfax.
Johnny lived all of his life in and around Colfax since he was four years old he has lived on a farm with his parents near Colfax.
He had spent last Sunday afternoon playing with five of his friends in the neighborhood. They went to the South Skunk river near the Veach bridge (No. 6 highway bridge east of here about the middle of the afternoon) and he and Billy Talsma went wading in the treacherous river. They disappeared and his body was not found until Wednesday. Billy is presumed to have drowned with his friend.
Source: The Newton Daily News; Saturday, August 21, 1943
Additional information:
The Newton Daily News reported on the drowning on Monday, August 16, 1943 and the progress of recovering the bodies every day until they were recovered.
The body of 14-year-old Billy Talsma was discovered the morning of August 25, 1943, on the tenth day after the drowning, about 2 ½ miles downstream from here the boys disappeared at the Colfax bridge.
The body of Johnny Dolinsek, 15, was found about 5 miles downstream from the Colfax bridge on the third day after the drowning.