Robbins drowning

ROBBINS, EDDINGFIELD, BRYANT, SANDERS, COOLEY, CADY, LINK

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/30/2007 at 21:15:50

Source: The Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette Monday, May 4, 1953 page 1

Fort Madison boy drowns

Fort Madison -- For the second time in a month, a Lee County youth has met death in the Father of Waters.

The most recent victim was 17-year-old Joseph Edwin Robbins, who lived with the Harry Eddingfield family, Wever route 2.

Robbins was drowned when the boat in which he and two elder brothers were riding was struck and capsized by a wave about 5:15 p.m. Saturday. His body was recovered about 9:50 that night by LeRoy Bryant and Jim Sanders.

The brothers, Donald Robbins, 26, and Harold Robbins, 24, said the three had left Fort Madison to raise some fishing nets, and that the boat upset about 200 yards from the mouth of the harbor. The older youths were able to hold onto the boat, but their brother went down, and efforts to rescue him were futile.

Robbins was born in Green Bay Township, near Wever, on November 6, 1935, and was a former student at Fort Madison high school. His mother died in 1942, and he had lived at the Eddingfield home since shortly thereafter.

Besides his brothers, he is survived by his father and stepmother Mr. and Mrs. Chester H. Robbin, West Point, and five other brothers: Pfc. Richard Robbins, USMC, en route to Korea; James Robbins, West Point; and David Robbins, Burlington, and to Gary and Bobby Robbins at home.

Also surviving are a grandmother, Mrs. Jenny Cooley, Somerset, Ky., and two stepsisters: Colette Cady, Alexandria Missouri, and Wilma Cady, of Burlington.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Christian Church of Wever. Reverend Truman D. Jingst will officiate and burial will be in Walker Cemetery in Des Moines County.

The body is at the Hall funeral home in Fort Madison, and will be taken to the church in Wever at noon Wednesday.

The previous drowning occurred on April 6, when 17-year-old Charles Link disappeared beneath the swirling waters. His body has not yet been recovered. The drowning occurred at Fort Madison, where Joseph Robbins, 17, lost his life.