The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., May 12, 1939, page 1
BOY LOSES LIFE IN COLUMBIA RIVER
Body In Water One Hour and Forty-five Minutes When Found
All Efforts To Bring Back Life To Howard Personett Fails
Howard "Bud" Personett, 14-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs.
A.K. Personett, of White Salmon, lost his life by drowning in the Egan lake,
a tributary slough of the Columbia river, Wednesday evening about six o'clock.
The body was recovered an hour and forty-five minutes later but in spite
of all efforts, first-aid workers were unable to bring back life with pulmator.
"Bud" and Donald Parrish, 13, were taking a boat ride
on the slough when he fell overboard. He came up once, some distance from
the boat, and unable to swim suddenly sank again. Donald swam 200 feet to
shore up and ran home to give the alarm.
The Bingen fire department with pulmator, also the Hood
River department with its equipment, and the White Salmon department rushed
to the scene of the tragedy. Six or seven boats were put out to drag the
spot and in a little over an hour, 300 feet from shore in 10-feet of water,
the body was found, an hour and forty-five minutes after the boy sank.
The White Salmon fire boys manned by boats while the
Bingen boys prepared equipment and stood ready with their pulmator.
The funeral will be held in the White Salmon grade school
gym Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., May 18, 1939, page 2
WHITE SALMON YOUTH DROWNS
Klickitat county's first drowning of the season occurred
at White Salmon last Wednesday evening, May 10, when Howard Personette,
14-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Personette fell from a row boat into
a Columbia river slough.
Donald Parrish, Personette's companion in the boat gave
the alarm. An hour and one half later the White Salmon youth's body was recovered
but artificial desperation with the White Salmon lung motor failed to revive
the youth.
The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., May 19, 1939, page 1
SCHOOL GYM CROWDED AT PERSONETT FUNERAL
Friends of the late Howard Personett and of the family
filled the White Salmon grade school gym last Saturday to pay parting tribute
of respect. Howard, 14 years of age, lost his life by drowning in the Columbia
river Wednesday of last week. It was the largest funeral ever held in White
Salmon for a boy. Howard was liked by all, a splendid youth, and his sudden
death was a shock to the entire community.
Schoolmates -- Warner Martin, Derwood Jaeger, Bob Triplett,
John Hunsaker, Donald Parrish and Bob Percy, were pallbearers, and Boy Scouts
were ushers.
At the impressive services, Rev. Reynolds, of the Methodist
Church, eulogized the splendid qualities of the boy. In part he said: --
"As a family unit White Salmon shares together its sorrows in the loss from
its home circle of Howard Personett. Howard was a good boy in his home, community
and school life. He was kind in disposition, sympathetic by nature and
cooperative, with due authority, and with good companionship, a forthcoming
citizen of America and of all civilization. Like all boys of fourteen, he
was at that adventurous age, launching out to realize a new independence,
which should eventually build into his character responses to responsibilities
so essential to life's successes."
Mrs. K.H. Putney sang two selections, and Fred Allen
rendered a selection on the violin. Floral tributes were numerous covering
the casket and banking the platform.
He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur K.
Personett and a sister, Lucille.
The remains were laid to rest in the I.O.O.F. cemetery.
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to thank our many friends for their expression of kindness and sympathy during our recent loss of Buddy, our beloved son and brother. It's to be especially appreciated in a time of such great sorrow.
Art, Pearl and Lucille Personett.
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