Obituaries:  George Johnson, Sabine Parish       J-525
Source:  Sabine Index, Many, La., Jul 29, 1971
Submitted by: Carl Dilbeck
              carlrad@earthlink.net


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George Johnson

  Two persons have been killed in freak lightning strikes in
Sabine Parish.

  Patilla Joy Ferrell, 21, of Brookhaven, Miss., was killed when
hit in the head by a bolt of lightning on Toledo Lake, Saturday.
George Johnson, Negro, Rt. 1, Florien, was hit by lightning
Tuesday afternoon, resulting in his death.

  The Sheriff's Office received a call at 1:12 p.m., about Mrs.
Ferrell. It was reported by Jack Brown, former Sabine Deputy.
Sheriff's Deputy Walter Schulthorpe, and Parish Coroner, Dr.
Richard Oosta, were dispatched to Acadian Shores on Toledo Lake.

  The found that Mr. and Mrs. Ferrell, and Mr. and Mrs. Jackie G.
Cothen, and children, Randy, 10, and Shela, 8, were on Toledo,
when they saw a thunderstorm approaching. They started for shore,
the Cothens towing Mr. and Mrs. Ferrell in a 14 ft, aluminum
boat. Cothen told officers he saw a flash, and heard a popping
sound, and looked around to see Mrs. Ferrell slumped over.
Ferrell was momentarily stunned.

  Dr. Oosta pronounced Mrs. Ferrell dead at the scene. Her body
was taken to Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many, and then
transferred to Brookhaven, Miss.

  Johnson, 71, was walking to his barn, when he was struck by
lightning. His wife told Deputies Jimmy Ray Pleasant, and Floyd
Terrell, the investigating officers, that she heard the horses
running, and looked out the window, and saw her husband lying on
the ground.

  When the officers arrived, they found Johnson had been brought
into the house, but was dead. His body was taken to Jenkins
Funeral Home, where it was examined by Dr. Oosta.