Williams, Charles R. 1940-1962

WILLIAMS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 5/15/2005 at 15:57:09

Colfax Man Drowning Victim Sunday When Boat Capsizes

For the second time in the past three weeks, tragedy struck this city, on a Sunday afternoon, when Charles Williams, Jr., of Colfax was drowned, as the boat in which he and two other young men were riding in, overturned in the bank-full Skunk River.

Shortly after the noon hour Sunday, Williams, in company with Lee Buckley and Carl Shepley, both of Colfax, took a boat belonging to Buckley and lowered it into the river at the bridge just north of town on Highway No. 117.

Powered by an outboard motor, the threesome headed downstream, when they became entangled in a tree along the north embankment of the river about 1-½ miles from the bridge. The boat filled with water and overturned, Buckley and Shepley swimming to safety. Williams, not knowing how to swim, was reported not seen, by the two men, following the accident.

The two survivors walked back to town where they reported the accident, to authorities. A search was immediately organized with the County Sheriff, Colfax, Fire Dept., Polk Co. Authorities and Newton City Police as well as volunteers taking part.

Williams' cap and the gas can, which the boaters were using was found at the Reasnor Bridge, approximately 15 miles downstream. The boat was reportedly sighted passing under the bridge and was found on Tuesday of this week in the Reasnor area.

The river at the time of the accident was running bank full with some flooding in the lowland areas, making the search for the body difficult task. As of press time Wednesday, the body had not been recovered.

Charles Raymond Williams, Jr., 21, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Williams, Sr., of Colfax, was born at Monroe, Iowa, May 30, 1940. He attended the Prairie City Schools and resided at Newton for a time, before coming to Colfax, where he has made his home the past year. Charles was employed by Frank Rosenbaum and Sons of this city.

On August 21, 1958, he was married at Prairie City to Ann Williams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Williams of Colfax.

Surviving him are his wife, Ann, three sons, Junior, 3, Billy, 2, and Robert James, 6 weeks old, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Williams, Sr., and a sister, Juanita of Colfax, three brothers, Orville of Colfax and Mary and Edward of Des Moines.

Charles Williams, 21, Drowns In Boat Mishap.

COLFAX-An extensive search of the swift-moving waters of the South Skunk River continued today for the body of Charles Raymond Williams, Jr., 21, of Colfax. Williams, the father of three small children, lost his life Sunday afternoon when a boat in which he and two other men were riding capsized about 1 ½ miles downstream from the Colfax bridge.

Searching parties, which included members of the Jasper County Sheriffs' office, the Colfax Fire Department, the Highway Patrol, the Polk County Sheriff's office and volunteers searched for Williams until dark Sunday.

Williams, Carl Shepley, 16, and Lee Buckley, 25, all of Colfax, took Buckley's 14 foot, wooden flat bottomed boat out on the river about 1 p.m. Sunday. According to Shepley, they had been on the river for about 15 or 20 minutes when the, the boat, powered by a five-horse-power outboard engine, became entangled in a tree over-hanging the river.

"First the boat filled with water," Shepley related, "and then it tipped over." Shepley, a sophomore at Colfax High School, and Buckley were able to swim to shore-about 20 feet from where the boat overturned. "I was watching for Williams all the time I was in the water but neither Buckley nor I saw him after the boat capsized," Shepley reported. Williams was unable to swim.

There were no life preservers or other life saving gear in the boat, it was reported. At the time the boat over-turned, Williams was in the bow, Shepley occupied the middle and Buckley was in the stern of the craft. Ray Gaylor, Jasper County Sheriff, reported that Williams' cap was found near the Iowa-14 bridge and that the boat was sighted by Highway Patrolman Wayne Danielsen as it passed under the Reasnor bridge.

"The boat was floating level with the water, and would have been difficult to see from the water," Gaylor said. Two rescue craft were sent in pursuit of the boat but were unable to locate it. Sheriff Gaylor reported the gas can carried by the boat was removed from the water near the county line bridge.

"Because of the intensity of the current we won't be able to use grappling equipment," Gaylor said. Searchers were stationed on all of the bridges spanning the Skunk River in the county while several boats probed the river.

Williams was born May 30, 1940. He attended Prairie City schools.

Among his survivors are his wife, the former Ann Williams, three children, Junior, 3, Billy, 2, and Robert James, 6 weeks, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Raymond Williams, Sr. ~ Newton Daily News 1962

Originally submitted on Sun Jun 30 17:06:56 2002