Obituaries: John Royal, 1949, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: September 8, 1949 Winn Parish Enterprise John Royal John Royal, well known Winnfield civic leader and superintendent of the LaSalle Material Company's rock quarry near here, was accidentally drowned in the quarry pond about 10:45 a.m. Sunday when the boat in which he and two other company employees were riding capsized. Wesley Carter and Buddy Connor, other occupants of the boat, barely were able to swim to shore, about 100 feet away. Mr. Royal, who could not swim, called for help, but other employees were unable to reach him in time. He went down immediately and his body was recovered one hour and 15 minutes later by use of grappling hooks. The section of the pond in which he drowned was about 14 feet deep. A few minutes later a second tragedy occurred, involving one of the two men who escaped from the pond, and another LaSalle workman. After he reached shore, Wesley Carter, and Elton Blair, also of Winnfield, secured Mr. Royal's car and sped toward Winnfield in search of assistance. On Highway 84 just outside the city limits at intersection of the Dickerson Dairy road their car collided with another driven by A. P. Burton of Winnfield, who was attempting to turn into the Dickerson Dairy road. Both cars were badly damaged and the three occupants sustained painful injuries. They were taken to a local clinic. Mr. Burton suffered a broken knee cap and shoulder injuries. Wesley Carter, who was driving Royal's car, sustained numerous lacerations caused by flying glass from the broken windshield. Mr. Blair is receiving treatment for several broken ribs and other internal injuries. About 10 Sunday, Mr. Royal and the two other men boarded the boat and motored to the center of the pond to check a 10 inch pump, which was out of order. They found the pump's propeller shaft had failed. They took the 75 pound shaft from the pump and placed it in the bottom of the boat. This caused the boat to capsize, but a few minutes after the tragedy the boat was noticed upside down on top of the water. The boat had traveled more than half the distance to shore before it went under. Funeral services for Mr. Royal were held at the Hixson Brothers Funeral Home at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, with the Rev. H. H. McBride officiating. Following the services the body was taken to Mr. Royal's hometown of Sycamore, Georgia, where other services were held Tuesday morning. Mr. Royal and his wife moved to Winnfield in 1936 and since that time he has held a supervisory position at the local rock quarry. When the Solvay Process Company sold the plant to the LaSalle Material Company last year, Mr. Royal was retained as superintendent. At the time of the tragedy the Company was preparing to reopen the quarry. Mr. Royal was a member of the Winnfield First Baptist Church, was very active in both church and civic affairs. He was president of the Winnfield Softball League for several years. He was 46 years of age. Surviving are his widow, mrs. Lois Stephens Royal; his mother, Mrs. C. F. Royal, Jacksonville, Fla.; one brother, B. H. Royal of Kelson, Wash.; and three sisters, Mrs. Mary Lottiee Futch, Mrs. Henry Lutin, and Mrs. C. J. Seary, all of Jacksonville, Fla.