Corporal Arlo Meyer, 22, Drowns Monday Night
While Home on Furlough
Funeral Services This Afternoon
Tragic gloom was spread over this community when it was learned that Corporal Arlo Meyer met death by drowning in Silver lake about 10 o’clock Monday evening of this week. The tragedy occurred at the dock at the Silver Lake Club, the water at this point being about 7 ½ feet in depth
Corporal Meyer arrived in town Sunday for a fourteen day furlough from Ft. Frances E. Warren at Cheyenne, Wyoming – his first visit since induction in the U. S. Army five months ago. In this brief time in the Service he had diligently applied himself and had attained the rank of Corporal.
Arlo and Bob McGuigan sauntered out on the dock that fateful night, Arlo sitting on the bench on the north end of the T of the dock, and his companion at the south end. In a short time, both had fallen asleep.
Exactly what transpired is not known, but evidence is that Arlo fell forward from the seat, striking the right side of his face on the dock, and tumbled into the water. His glasses were broken in the fall, the pieces laying on the dock.
Mrs. Fred Versluis, who with her husband conduct the club, heard a loud splash as she worked in the kitchen, and she investigated, and discovering that Arlo was missing, she called A. V. Hansen at the State Café. Mr. Hansen picked up Wm. Ritterholz and hurried to the scene of the tragedy.
First Aid in Vain
Four men were having dinner at the Club, and one of them from Bibley whose name could not be learned, was the only one who could swim, and he went in the lake in search of the body. He found it near the dock as Mr. Hansen and Mrs. Ritterholz appeared on the scene, and with their help, Arlo was laid on the dock, and resuscitation work began at once.
Mr. Hansen has had instruction in first aid work, and assisted by the drowned man’s sister, Doris Meyer, also experienced in resuscitation work, who was brought to the scene, they worked methodically and unceasingly in vain efforts to restore life.
A call had been put in to Arnolds Park for an inhalator, and Lakes Custodian Frank Starr, County Coroner Jones, Mr. Fulton of Gull Point state park, and Dale Pollock of the Northwestern Bell Telephone Co., soon arrived. Dr. R. L. Pell was also summoned, and every device, instrument and practice was used to no avail.
For two and one-half hours they worked on the body in valiant efforts to restore a spark of life but without success.
The right side of Arlo’s face was bruised considerably and he bled at the nose.
Funeral This Afternoon
Funeral services for Corporal Meyer will be held this (Thursday) afternoon at 2:30 o’clock at the Presbyterian church, following a brief service at the home. Rev. Carl G. Sinning, pastor, will officiate.
Full military honors will be given this community’s first casualty among our boys in service. Interment will be in Silver Lake cemetery beside his mother.
Arlo Henry Meyer, only son of John and Norma Meyer, was born in Lake Park, Iowa, on April 1, 1920, and has lived here all his life. He was 22 years, four months and two days of age at the time of his death on Monday, August 3.
Arlo graduated from the Lake Park high school with the class of 1938. He attended Estherville Junior college and Citizen’s Military Training Camp at Fort Des Moines.
On March 3, 1942, he was inducted into the service with the U. S. Army and had attained the rank of corporal when he returned home on furlough.
Arlo’s mother died April, 28, 1930. He and his sister Doris were cared for after the death of their mother by their grandmother, Mrs. Emma Lage and aunt Laura Lage.
He was baptized in and attended the Presbyterian church.
Surviving are his aged grandmother, Mrs. Emma Lage, the only sister, Doris Meyer, his aunt Laura Lage, his father, John Meyer of Pipestone, Minn., and a host of relatives and friends who mourn his untimely demise.
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REQUEST TO CLOSE
Mayor D. J. Flint requests all business houses to close for the hour during the funeral services for Corporal Arlo Meyer.
Source: Lake Park News, Lake Park, Iowa, Thursday, August 6, 1942
Arlo Meyer Rites Last Thursday
Funeral services for Corporal Arlo Meyer were held last Thursday afternoon, with a contingent of thirteen soldiers from the Army Glider camp at Spencer assisting in the last rites. Short services were held at the home of his grandmother, Mr. Emma Lage, with the military leading the procession to the Presbyterian church where full military honors were given our first casualty of this war.
E. J. Addy and Vern Schwarzenbach of the local Legion Post were color bearers, with two soldiers as color guards. They were followed by a squad of armed soldiers under command of a sergeant. The soldiers formed two lines as the casket was carried to the church.
The color guards, with rifles, stood at each end of the flag-draped casket during the service. The local Legionnaires attended in a body. The church was unable to hold the large crowd in attendance. Floral tributes were in great profusion.
Rev. Carl G. Sinning, local Presbyterian pastor, acted as chaplain in officiating at the final rites.
A quartet composed of Beth Boyer, Mabryn Schaefer, Herbert Nicholas and Rev. Sinning sang “The Lord is My Shepherd,” “Ivory Palaces” and “Abide With Me” accompanied by Mrs. W. E. Dierks.
Pall bearers were local Legionnaires: Carl Christopherson, Claud Arens, Dwight Jackson, Lee Fike, John VonHoldt and Ray Goodell.
The soldiers again formed in two lines as the casket was carried from the church.
At Silver Lake cemetery, the final military rites were given by the firing squad and bugler. The large U. S. flag that draped the casket was presented to the deceased’s sister, Doris Meyer, by Rev. Sinning, on behalf of the U. S. Government.
Interment was in the family lot beside his mother.
Business houses closed during the funeral hour.
Relatives from out of town who were present at the last rites were: Mr. and Mrs. Chenney of Bell Plain, Theodore Lage, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lage, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lage, and Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Garms of Round Lake, Minn., Emmie Meyer and Rudolph Meyer of Luverne, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. John Meyer of Pipestone, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Lage and Mrs. Lester Lage of Reading, Minn., Mr. and Mrs. Wilford Hansen of Granada, Minn., Mrs. Anna Meyer and Mracell and Mrs. Mary Dehrkoop of Everly, Mrs. Harold Schuren of Hartley, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Castensen of Royal, Mr. and Mrs. Theo. Sindt, Albert Sindt, Mrs. Herbert Sindt and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Meyer of Rock Rapids, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Smuck and Ardis of Superior, A. E. Bush and Mrs. Charles Bush of Windom, Minn., and Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Meyer and sons Marvin and Clayton and daughter Frances of Watertown, S. D., and a host of relatives and friends of this community.
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Locals
A group of five Army officers from Minneapolis were in Spirit Lake and Lake Park Tuesday afternoon making an investigation and getting reports here from Coroner Dr. B. W. Jones regarding the death of Corp. Arlo Myer last week. The soldier from Wyoming was drowned in Silver Lake.
Source: Lake Park News, Lake Park, Iowa, Thursday, August 13, 1942, Pages 1 & 6
