Obit - Coldwater Chronicle - April 22, 1955
Wilfred B. Abels first 1955 victim of Grand Lake. A requiem high mass for Wilfred Abels, 30, will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. in Holy Trinity church. Rev. Lawrence Jackle will sing the mass. Burial was made Thursday afternoon in St. Elizabeth cemetery. Abels drowned in Grand Lake Friday, April 22 at 4 p.m. and his body was recovered Wednesday noon April 27. He was born May 10, 1924 the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Abels of Coldwater. The deceased was a fireman at the Pet Milk Co. He was a member of Holy Trinity church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Survivors include his widow, Rose Mary Birkmeyer Abels; three sons, Richard John, Gerald Lee and Thomas; two daughters, Tina Marie and Mary Rose; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Abels, two brothers, Sylvester and Arlington, all of Coldwater. Robert Roth, 23, Celina and Wilfred Abels, Coldwater, rented a boat at Knapke's landing to go fishing on Grand Lake Friday around 2 p.m. Abels had the motor for the boat. About 4:15 p.m. Patrolman Golden spotted Roth in the boat from the North shore coming in with the waves. At about 4:30 Roth was taken in for help. Sheriff Barber indicated that the third party may have left the boat at Pulman's Bay and issued a plea if there was such a party that he identify himself. An eye witness at the bay reported Tuesday that saw only two leave with the boat. Lake Patrolman J.H. Brentlinger of St. Marys and two volunteer searchers spotted Abel's body floating about 800 feet straight south of Safety Island at 12 o'clock noon on Wednesdays. Exactly what happen to Abels possibly never will be known as Roth cannot recall much of anything that happened after they started on the fishing trip. He was taken into custody and Sheriff Bruce Barber took him to the Mercer County jail and a blood test showed an alcoholic content of 0.15, a point legally recognized as intoxicated. In the boat was found four poles, a gas can, pair of pants, pair of shoes, wrist watch, fifth of whiskey, three fourths gone and a billfold with $108 in it. Roth told officials that as they left shore they picked up another person who Abels knew and that they rode to the north shore and that Abels got out and talked to someone and then they went to Safety Island. Abels was at the rear of the boat and Roth in the front and the other person was supposed to have been in the center. When they got near to the island the water began to get choppy and Roth turned to Abels to tell him that they had better go ashore and then reeled his line in and when he turned around he saw Abels holding onto the bow of the boat, but said nothing. Roth went back to help him, but he had slipped into the water. He also was at a loss to know when the other man left the boat. He told officials that he circled around several times but could not find him and then turned to go ashore.
Wilfred B. Abels first 1955 victim of Grand Lake. A requiem high mass for Wilfred Abels, 30, will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. in Holy Trinity church. Rev. Lawrence Jackle will sing the mass. Burial was made Thursday afternoon in St. Elizabeth cemetery. Abels drowned in Grand Lake Friday, April 22 at 4 p.m. and his body was recovered Wednesday noon April 27. He was born May 10, 1924 the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Abels of Coldwater. The deceased was a fireman at the Pet Milk Co. He was a member of Holy Trinity church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Survivors include his widow, Rose Mary Birkmeyer Abels; three sons, Richard John, Gerald Lee and Thomas; two daughters, Tina Marie and Mary Rose; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Abels, two brothers, Sylvester and Arlington, all of Coldwater. Robert Roth, 23, Celina and Wilfred Abels, Coldwater, rented a boat at Knapke's landing to go fishing on Grand Lake Friday around 2 p.m. Abels had the motor for the boat. About 4:15 p.m. Patrolman Golden spotted Roth in the boat from the North shore coming in with the waves. At about 4:30 Roth was taken in for help. Sheriff Barber indicated that the third party may have left the boat at Pulman's Bay and issued a plea if there was such a party that he identify himself. An eye witness at the bay reported Tuesday that saw only two leave with the boat. Lake Patrolman J.H. Brentlinger of St. Marys and two volunteer searchers spotted Abel's body floating about 800 feet straight south of Safety Island at 12 o'clock noon on Wednesdays. Exactly what happen to Abels possibly never will be known as Roth cannot recall much of anything that happened after they started on the fishing trip. He was taken into custody and Sheriff Bruce Barber took him to the Mercer County jail and a blood test showed an alcoholic content of 0.15, a point legally recognized as intoxicated. In the boat was found four poles, a gas can, pair of pants, pair of shoes, wrist watch, fifth of whiskey, three fourths gone and a billfold with $108 in it. Roth told officials that as they left shore they picked up another person who Abels knew and that they rode to the north shore and that Abels got out and talked to someone and then they went to Safety Island. Abels was at the rear of the boat and Roth in the front and the other person was supposed to have been in the center. When they got near to the island the water began to get choppy and Roth turned to Abels to tell him that they had better go ashore and then reeled his line in and when he turned around he saw Abels holding onto the bow of the boat, but said nothing. Roth went back to help him, but he had slipped into the water. He also was at a loss to know when the other man left the boat. He told officials that he circled around several times but could not find him and then turned to go ashore.
Obit - Coldwater Chronicle - April 22, 1955
Wilfred B. Abels first 1955 victim of Grand Lake. A requiem high mass for Wilfred Abels, 30, will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. in Holy Trinity church. Rev. Lawrence Jackle will sing the mass. Burial was made Thursday afternoon in St. Elizabeth cemetery. Abels drowned in Grand Lake Friday, April 22 at 4 p.m. and his body was recovered Wednesday noon April 27. He was born May 10, 1924 the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Abels of Coldwater. The deceased was a fireman at the Pet Milk Co. He was a member of Holy Trinity church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Survivors include his widow, Rose Mary Birkmeyer Abels; three sons, Richard John, Gerald Lee and Thomas; two daughters, Tina Marie and Mary Rose; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Abels, two brothers, Sylvester and Arlington, all of Coldwater. Robert Roth, 23, Celina and Wilfred Abels, Coldwater, rented a boat at Knapke's landing to go fishing on Grand Lake Friday around 2 p.m. Abels had the motor for the boat. About 4:15 p.m. Patrolman Golden spotted Roth in the boat from the North shore coming in with the waves. At about 4:30 Roth was taken in for help. Sheriff Barber indicated that the third party may have left the boat at Pulman's Bay and issued a plea if there was such a party that he identify himself. An eye witness at the bay reported Tuesday that saw only two leave with the boat. Lake Patrolman J.H. Brentlinger of St. Marys and two volunteer searchers spotted Abel's body floating about 800 feet straight south of Safety Island at 12 o'clock noon on Wednesdays. Exactly what happen to Abels possibly never will be known as Roth cannot recall much of anything that happened after they started on the fishing trip. He was taken into custody and Sheriff Bruce Barber took him to the Mercer County jail and a blood test showed an alcoholic content of 0.15, a point legally recognized as intoxicated. In the boat was found four poles, a gas can, pair of pants, pair of shoes, wrist watch, fifth of whiskey, three fourths gone and a billfold with $108 in it. Roth told officials that as they left shore they picked up another person who Abels knew and that they rode to the north shore and that Abels got out and talked to someone and then they went to Safety Island. Abels was at the rear of the boat and Roth in the front and the other person was supposed to have been in the center. When they got near to the island the water began to get choppy and Roth turned to Abels to tell him that they had better go ashore and then reeled his line in and when he turned around he saw Abels holding onto the bow of the boat, but said nothing. Roth went back to help him, but he had slipped into the water. He also was at a loss to know when the other man left the boat. He told officials that he circled around several times but could not find him and then turned to go ashore.
Wilfred B. Abels first 1955 victim of Grand Lake. A requiem high mass for Wilfred Abels, 30, will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. in Holy Trinity church. Rev. Lawrence Jackle will sing the mass. Burial was made Thursday afternoon in St. Elizabeth cemetery. Abels drowned in Grand Lake Friday, April 22 at 4 p.m. and his body was recovered Wednesday noon April 27. He was born May 10, 1924 the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Abels of Coldwater. The deceased was a fireman at the Pet Milk Co. He was a member of Holy Trinity church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Survivors include his widow, Rose Mary Birkmeyer Abels; three sons, Richard John, Gerald Lee and Thomas; two daughters, Tina Marie and Mary Rose; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Abels, two brothers, Sylvester and Arlington, all of Coldwater. Robert Roth, 23, Celina and Wilfred Abels, Coldwater, rented a boat at Knapke's landing to go fishing on Grand Lake Friday around 2 p.m. Abels had the motor for the boat. About 4:15 p.m. Patrolman Golden spotted Roth in the boat from the North shore coming in with the waves. At about 4:30 Roth was taken in for help. Sheriff Barber indicated that the third party may have left the boat at Pulman's Bay and issued a plea if there was such a party that he identify himself. An eye witness at the bay reported Tuesday that saw only two leave with the boat. Lake Patrolman J.H. Brentlinger of St. Marys and two volunteer searchers spotted Abel's body floating about 800 feet straight south of Safety Island at 12 o'clock noon on Wednesdays. Exactly what happen to Abels possibly never will be known as Roth cannot recall much of anything that happened after they started on the fishing trip. He was taken into custody and Sheriff Bruce Barber took him to the Mercer County jail and a blood test showed an alcoholic content of 0.15, a point legally recognized as intoxicated. In the boat was found four poles, a gas can, pair of pants, pair of shoes, wrist watch, fifth of whiskey, three fourths gone and a billfold with $108 in it. Roth told officials that as they left shore they picked up another person who Abels knew and that they rode to the north shore and that Abels got out and talked to someone and then they went to Safety Island. Abels was at the rear of the boat and Roth in the front and the other person was supposed to have been in the center. When they got near to the island the water began to get choppy and Roth turned to Abels to tell him that they had better go ashore and then reeled his line in and when he turned around he saw Abels holding onto the bow of the boat, but said nothing. Roth went back to help him, but he had slipped into the water. He also was at a loss to know when the other man left the boat. He told officials that he circled around several times but could not find him and then turned to go ashore.
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