Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Peterson, Roy July 20, 1942 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com May 19, 2019, 9:37 pm Ionia Daily Sentinel-Std. - Monday, July 20, 1942 15-YEAR OLD IONIA BOY IS DROWNED Roy Peterson, 15-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Peterson of 508 East Washington street, Ionia, was drowned at 3:00 o'clock Monday afternoon when he stepped into a five-food hole in shallow Grand river at the foot of Mill street. The boy had been swimming with more than half a dozen young companions in the river. They had been wading and swimming from a sand bar on the south bend of the river below Mill street. Young Peterson was swimming along with several other boys when he appeared to tire and sink under the water. Walter Reiger, 13, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Reiger of Ionia, was swimming along side when the boy went under. Young Reiger told officers he attempted to tow the Peterson boy along and that he also attempted to push him. But as he attempted rescue, the Peterson boy pulled him under and after breaking loose and coming to the surface, Peterson had disappeared. Swimming with Peterson were Hugh Snyder, 13; Ronnie Davis, 12, of 325 Railroad street; Lawrence Northrup, 13, of 218 Adams street; Virgial Ralston of 610 Brown street and Petersons brother, Wayne, 6, who was wading in the water. On the river Sheriff Leslie H. Murphy and Coroner Harry Myers, assisted by a dozen young swimmers, were attempting to locate the body in the water. It was believed the water was no deeper than five feet, and at the position where Peterson went under, the river can be waded. Peterson's' father, who was called from work at the Ypsilanti Reed Furniture company, said he did not believe his son could swim but was just learning. Young Reiger said, "I tried to save him but he pulled me under." The Peterson boy was a student in the Ionia Junior high school and played on the "jeep" football team of the junior high. ______________________________________ July 23, 1942 - Daily Sentinel-Std. Funeral services were held Wednesday from the Myers funeral home at 2:30 o'clock for Roy Peterson, 15-year-old Ionia youth who was drowned while swimming in Grand river at the foot of Mill street, Monday afternoon. Rev. A. R. Kuehn of Zion Evangelical church officiated and burial was in Highland Park cemetery. Pall bearers were Lewis Swain, Julius Petersen, Elmer Petersen, Godfrey Petersen, Wesley Petersen and Edwin Petersen. Additional Comments: Age: 15 Services: Wednesday, July 22, 1942 Highland Park cemetery #2-183 b. 28 Aug. 1926, Sheridan - Age 15y 10m 22dy Son o Carl Otinus Peterson & Evelena (Peasley) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/p/peterson9480gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 3.1 Kb