Jack LOBDELL

LOBDELL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/28/2007 at 21:45:46

Wright County Monitor
22 August 1968

5 Apr 1922 -- 17 Aug 1968

Belmond Man Loses Life

Funeral Services were held Wednesday at 2 o'clock In the Methodist church in Belmond. Rev. Dick Watkins officiated. Burial was in the Belmond cemetery. What had begun as a pleasant family outing turned to tragedy when Jack Lobdell, 45, slipped under the water early Sunday evening. The family was enjoying an outing at Morse Lake just south west of Belmond, Two of the boys, aged 9 and 3, were on separate air mattresses on the lake when the breeze blew the mattresses over deep water, Jack swam out to the children and was pushing the three year old to safety when he disappeared into the water. Faye Withers, Belmond, who was at the scene, called the Belmond Fire Department and the Wright County Sheriff's office. Rescue units from Humboldt, Iowa Falls, Webster City. Clarion and Belmond, plus two conservation officers from Clear Lake and numerous volunteers helped in the search for the body. After searching all night the body was found at 1:15 a. m. Monday morning by Charles Mikesh and Clement McLaughlin of Belmond and Paul Tegland of Goodell. Sheriff Bob Blecker commended all the young men and others who volunteered. More than 16 boats and 100 volunteers participated in the search. One of the volunteers went under and was helped to safety by one of the boat's occupants. Jack Lobdell was an employee at the Belmond post office. He is survived by his wife and five children, 3 to 13 years.