Fred Cox, 19, Drowns At Area Lake
A rural Augusta youth drowned yesterday afternoon while on an outing at the Courtney Davis lake, located about 10 miles southeast of Newton. Fredrick Marvin Cox Jr., 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fredrick Marvin Cox Sr. of Augusta, was found at the bottom of the lake about 8 o’clock last night. Harvey county sheriff officers said the Cox boy had been at the lake with two cousins, Charles Boucher, 29, and Jerry Boucher, 17. The officers said the three became separated and the Bouchers returned to Augusta thinking that the Cox youth had gotten a ride home with some other boys. The officers said when the Bouchers learned that Cox had not come home they contacted the youth’s parents. Mr. and Mrs. Cox went to the lake to look for their son. When the youth was not located a search of the lake started. Courtney Davis, owner and operator of the lake, said the boy’s body was found in the water by Kenneth Larah of Valley Center shortly after 8 o’clock. Mr. Davis said two of the life guards, Joe Aldendiefer and Kenneth Becker removed the boy’s body from the water. An attempt to revive the boy with oxygen failed and he was pronounced dead by the Harvey county coroner. Mr. Davis said the drowning occurred outside the posted swimming area and the witnesses said Cox had been diving near the area where the body was located. The lake owner said nine life guards and two deputy sheriff officers were on duty at the lake yesterday. He also said that all the picnic tables near where the Cox boy’s body was found were being used most of the day. Mr. Davis said a cut behind the Cox youth’s right ear was still bleeding when the body was pulled from the water. He said it is surmised that Cox dived into the water and struck a concrete embankment which lines the entire lake. The lake owner went on to say that the blow behind the ear apparently knocked the youth unconscious, resulting in the drowning. Mr. Davis said this is the first drowning at the lake since about 1956. Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning at 10:30 at the Dunsford Funeral Chapel, conducted by M. R. Montgomery.
Fred Cox was born December 15, 1943 at Wichita. He graduated from the Augusta High School in 1962 and had been employed at the Plaza IGA store. Survivors include his parents, a sister, Betty Paulette of the home, and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Cox of Aurora, MO., and grandmother, Mrs. Flora Boucher of Augusta. Casket bearers will be Darrel Dennett, Bill Daigh, Mike Smith, Lloyd Conner, Paul Wilkens, and Mac W. Bonds. Honorary bearers are Bart Mayer, Larry Barg, and Gary Rush. The Augusta Gazette, Augusta Kansas. July 8, 1963.
