Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Newspapers.....Drownings, 1954 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 32, No. 205, Mon., Aug. 30, 1954, p. 1 Fireman's Body Recovered From River, Companion's Still Missing The Nansemond River around the drawbridge at the foot of North Main Street was still being dragged today for the body of Jasper P. Curle, Suffolk auto mechanic, who drowned there last night with William J. Crocker. The body of Crocker, 40-year-old member of the Suffolk Fire Department, was recovered at about 10:30 p.m. by George E. Eure. The body was pulled into Robert Rose's boat. The tragedy occurred when Crocker went to his companion's resuce after Curle had jumped in to retrieve a motorboat that had drifted off shore. The accident happened at about 4:30 p.m., when the men were trying to launch the boat east of the drawbridge on the south side. According to the police report, the tide moved the boat back on the bank after the men had attempted to launch it by tying it to an automobile. On the next try, the rope broke and the craft floated about half-way across the river, upstream on a rising tide. At that point, 34-year-old Curle jumped overboard and swam toward the craft. When he came within arm's reach of the boat, the report stated, his strength evidently gave out and be called for help. Crocker took off his shoes, jumped into the water and swam to the rescue, but both men went down together in the middle of the river. Russell Nichols, of Constance Road, saw the men struggling and called for police help, but there was no trace of them by the time help came. In response to a police call, two Coast Guard men arrived at the scene at about 8 p.m., and commenced dragging operations that continued through the night. Police and firemen, both on and off duty, remained at the scene throughout the night together with many civilians who pooled efforts to render assistance in the search. Some seven boats were being used in alternating shifts today, Chief Butler said, as the operation continued. Funeral services for Crocker will be held at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the R.W. Baker Funeral Home with the Rev. R.E. Brittle and the Rev. Julian S. Hopkins officiating. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. The son of the late William Joseph and Lottie Lotzie [sic; Lotzia] Crocker, the deceased is survived by his wife, Mrs. Isabelle [sic; Isabell] Moody Crocker; two daughters, Mrs. Bernice Crocker King, of Newport News and Miss Billy Evelyn Crocker, of Suffolk; a granddaughter, Deborah King and a sister, Mrs. Ira F. Bennett, of Chicago, Ill. Curle is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Ellen Abrams Curle; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. Curle, of Somerton: two brothers, Franklin Curle, of Somerton and Epenthus Curle, of the U.S. Navy. [photo, captioned:] W. E. A. Moore Photo Two Boats Which Participated in Search For Bodies of Two Drowned Men Here Last Night ****************************************************************************** "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 32, No. 206, Tues., Aug. 31, 1954, p. 1 River Yields Body Of Second Victim A 21-hour search at the Nansemond River ended at 1:55 a.m. today when the body of Jasper P. Curle was located 30 feet from the north shore half-way between the drawbridge and the old boat house. While the body rose to the surface by itself, Chief of Police L.B. Butler said "there a a strong possibility dynamiting done yesterday did dislodge it." The chief said "one of the arms had been lodged in mud." Fifteen charges of dynamite were set off in the waters surrounding the bridge earlier in the afternoon. Many of the people on hand started walking the banks with lights around midnight when the tide got too high to permit boats to carry on dragging operations that had bees almost continuous since the tragedy occurred Sunday afternoon. The group which spotted the body while checking from the shore with a portable floodlight included Police Sergeant Ray H. Early, Sr., and J.D. Parr, Andy Mahalko and Elisha Duke. Curle, 34, Suffolk auto mechanic, drowned Sunday with William J. Crocker, 40-year-old member of the Suffolk Fire Department. The latter's body was found at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday night. Both City Manager E.N. Wilkinson and Chief Butler today expressed deep appreciation to the many people who rendered assistance during the tedious search. "A fine community-type job was done," Wilkinson said, by all who remained at the scene. Throughout the dragging operations, police and firemen, both on and off duty, members of the Volunteer Fire Company, Auxiliary Police, National Guardsman, Coast Guardsmen and many citizens who furnished boats or in some way contributed, worked untiringly the Chief said. Special mention was made by Wilkinson of the Salvation Army, which maintained a canteen from about 10 p.m. Sunday through the end of the operations. The tragic accident occurred when Crocker went to Curle's aid after he had jumped in to retrieve a motorboat that had drifted off shore as they were trying to launch it. Curle jumped into the water when a rope attaching the craft to an automobile on shore broke and the boat drifted about half-way across the river on a rising tide. When he got within arm's reach of the vessel, Curle called for help and Crocker, whose position at the Number 2 fire station on Morgan St. had him trained for risky tasks, jumped in to swim to the rescue. Both men went down together in the middle of the river. Funeral services for Curle will be conducted at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the I.O. Hill Funeral Home. The Reverend R.E. Brittle, pastor of Bethlehem Church, and the Rev. O.S. Emonds, pastor of Reynoldson Baptist Church of Gates County, N.C., will officiate. Burial will be in Holly Lawn Cemetery. Rites were to be held for Crocker at 3 p.m. today at the R.W. Baker Funeral Home. The Rev. R.E. Brittle and the Rev. Julian S. Hopkins were to officiate. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery. *Additional information: William Joseph CROCKER, Jr., fireman, b. 23 Mar 1912, Suffolk, drowned 29 Aug 1954, Nansemond R., Suffolk, interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery (Block G, Lot 96), Suffolk, 31 Aug 1954 His parents & step-mother are buried in the same lot. Cedar Hill list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_a.txt A photo of his gravestone - added by Jake Dog - is posted with Find a Grave Memorial #77561419. D.Cert. 17634 (Suffolk #30) His widow (1917 - 2010) 2m. Mills Jackson RIDDICK in 1958, and 3m. Victor Lee WILLS in 1972. She is also buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery. His father's obit ("Suffolk News-Herald," Sep. 14, 1931, pp. 1 & 6) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/c626j6ob.txt ************************************************ Jasper Pope CURLE, mechanic, b. 30 Dec 1919, Hertford Co., NC, drowned 29 Aug 1954, Nansemond R., Suffolk, interred in Holly Lawn Cemetery, Suffolk, 1 Sep 1954 His parents, Ernest Polk & Eva Leslie (PARKER) CURLE, are also buried there. Holly Lawn list, another extension of the SCHS Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/hollyln.txt D.Cert. 17632 (Suffolk #28) His mother's obit ("Suffolk News-Herald," June 1, 1964, p. 8) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/c640e5ob.txt Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/newspapers/19540830nh.txt