Obituaries: Merle Lynn McGee, 1954, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: April 29, 1954 Winn Parish Enterprise

Final Rites For Merle Lynn McGee, Drowning Victim, Set For Friday A.M.

Funeral services for Merle Lynn McGeen, 16 year old tenth grade student of the
Calvin High School will be held Friday morning at 10:00 o'clock at the
Goldonna Baptist Church.  Interment will follow in the church cemetery. 
Services will be conducted by Rev. Jimmy Thorpe of Doyline, assisted by Rev.
C. M. Robinson and Rev. Guy Murphy.

The time, 10:00 is tentative, depending on the arrival of a sister, Mrs. R. B.
Villanueva, from Los Angeles, California.

Merle Lynn McGee, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. E. McGee, who reside at Coldwater
Station, drowned about 3:00 p.m. Tuesday when he was swept into the turbulent
water of Black Bayou at Allen Dam at the Winn-Natchitoches Parish line while
fishing.

Young McGee had accompanied his brother in law from LaMarque, Texas, fishing. 
It was while he was standing on the slope of a forward abuttment of the dam
when he apparently slipped or was swept into the water.

Reports of bystanders indicate that after slipping into the water the body was
taken down stream by the swift current.  A fisherman nearby tried to save
McGee by holding out a fence pole after the youth came up from his plunge, but
the boy lost his grasp on the pole and sank again.

Officers said the bottom of the bayou at the dam site is strewn with boulders
and it is believed that McGee's body could have lodged between the rocks or
else lodged in an aperture at the bottom of the dam.

Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Earl Morris and members of the Natchitoches Fire
Department Rescue Squad began searching for the drowned boy shortly after 4
p.m.  The body was recovered at 9:45 p.m. about 20 feet from where he was last
seen going down.

Survivors are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. E. McGee; a twin brother, Gerald,
another brother, Carlson; three sisters, Mrs. R. B. Villanueva, Los Angeles,
California, Mrs. Julius Knighten, Goldonna, and Mrs. W. H. Leggett, LaMarque,
Texas; two nieces, Sharon Villanueva and Katie Knighten.

In deference to the popular student the Calvin High School will dismiss
classes for Friday.

The choir at the final rites will be composed of the Calvin High School chorus
under the direction of Mrs. R. L. Terry.

Classmates of the deceased will serve as pallbearers, who are Arlin Weeks, R.
A. McNaughton, Billy Jim Garrett, Billy Lucky, A. D. Abels, Jason Bedgood,
Claude L. O'Bryan, Wayne Kelly, Thurmon Malone, and Joseph Franks.