Obituaries: Roland Gibbs, 1964, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: February 6, 1964 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American

Boat Overturns In Black Lake

Winn Man Dies In Water Mishap

Roland Gibbs, 43 year old father of five and a Ward 10 resident, drowned in
Black Lake Friday, January 31, after a small boat hit a submerged snag
and capsized in six foot deep water 100 yards from shore at 3:30 p.m.

Monroe Kelley and Leslie Blake were rescued from the water minutes later
by Watkins Bradley who lives at the landing site.

Gibbs' body was recovered by a search party from Winn Parish about 9:10 p.m.

Bradley said he had passed the three men in their boat just a few minutes
before the accident.

He said that the three men were headed for the landing and were going to his
house for coffee.

Bradley had stepped from his boat onto a pier when he heard a motor race
wildly and stop.

A Negro woman was also on the pier and told Bradley that the boat overturned.

Two Rescued

he said he went back to the scene and found Kelley and Blake clinging to their
overturned boat.  Both reported seeing Gibbs disappear under the water.  They
are neighbors of the Gibbs.

Gibbs was described as an excellent swimmer.

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Department and the Winn Parish Sheriff's
Department both sent search parties and rescue units to the scene.

The Natchitoches Parish group discontinued its operations for the night about
9 p.m. and planned to return Saturday morning.

Vic Raborn, a Wildlife and Fisheries Agent and neighbor of the Gibbs family,
located the body with grapples about 75 yards from Carroll's Landing.

Gibbs was a woodsman and was a member of the Mill Creek Baptist Church.

Funeral services were held Saturday in the Antioch Methodist Church with
the Rev. Dick DeBusk, Rev. Merle Bates, and Rev. Hancock officiating.  Burial
was in the Antioch Cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home.

Gibbs is survived by his wife, five children, Charles, Gary, and Rodney of
Ward 10, Donnie, U. S. Army, and a daughter, Karen of Ward 10; five sisters,
Ms. Lillian Moffett, Dodson; Mrs. Maybelle Babers, Mrs. Faye Temple, Mrs.
Ardell Wade, and Mrs. Faye Speaks, Goldonna.