CHAMPION, Donald c1905-1917

CHAMPION

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 9/30/2009 at 12:37:48

#1 of 2 items:

OSAGE BOY KILLED DIVING IN RIVER

Donald Champion, Visiting In Charles City,
Killed While Bathing in Cedar River

Donald Champion, the 12-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Champion, of this city, was instantly killed Tuesday afternoon while bathing in the river at Charles City.

Donald was visiting his aunt, Mrs. Lou Christianson, and had gone to the river with some boy companions to go in bathing. They were playing about in the water, diving from a crude raft. Donald had a way of twisting his head to one side when diving to protect his face from the impact with the water, and the conclusions are that his neck was broken when he struck the surface of the water.

After diving he failed to come up, and a search was made for his body. It was found after about a half hour and taken to the morgue. Work was at once begun with the pullmotor in an effort to resusticate, the supposedly drowned lad. The effort was continued for nearly two hours before the discovery was made that the little lad's neck was broken.

Word was received here over the telephone at about 2 o'clock, before it was known that there was no hope of resusticating him. His uncle John Christianson, arrived by automobile from Charles City soon after, and the parents returned at once with him, only to be greeted with the awful news that there no longer remained any hope.

The body was brought here last evening by auto, arriving at about 9 o'clock. Word was wired to distant relatives, and arrangements for the funeral depends of their replies.

Donald was well known about town, popular alike with the old and young. He was bright lad, known for his gentlemanly bearing. The news of his violent taking away has affected the town as nothing else has for a long time. He was the parents only child, and they are prostrated. Mrs. Champion is said to be in a serious condition as a result of the terrible shock.

[Mitchell County Press- July 18, 1917]

Submitted to IaGenWeb by Marilyn O'Connor, Aug. 2005

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#2:
The Osage City Cemetery listing on IaGenWeb shows:

CHAMPION, DONALD W. (location) 0874 1 (died/buried) 17 JUL 1917.