Patterson Cemetery District, Stanislaus County, CA 

Submitted by Gale Stroud and Burta Herger 26 Aug 2007

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Brainard Francis E 510927 p1
Boy Drowns in San Joaquin R; Services For Gene Brainard, 16, Held Tuesday After Mishap Saturday Noon; Funeral
services were held Tuesday morning for Francis Eugene Brainard, 16, who drowned in the San Joaquin River Saturday
noon. Gene, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Brainard, and five companions, including his brother LeRoy, 14, had been wading
in the river while building a raft and catching bullfrogs.  He went under when he suddenly stepped off into deep water.
John McGill, 14, tried to pull him out but Gene struggled too much and John couldn t help him. The body was discovered
Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock about 150 feet downstream from where Gene disappeared. Floyd Jackson, 14, Scotty
Thompson, 14, and Gary Gervasoni, 13, ran a mile to the Patterson Water Company pump house to summon aid.  On the
way they met Mr. and Mrs. Richard Collins of Modesto, who were fishing, and breathlessly told of the accident. Collins
immediately went to where McGill and LeRoy were stationed and swam unsuccessfully around the area The fire
department arrived with a resuscitator at 12:55, within five minutes after the call for help was received. The sheriff s
office was contacted, and the search continued throughout the afternoon and evening and again early the next morning
until the body was found under a submerge log at 4 p. m. Sunday. Searching party members say that the river s current is
swift arid that the bottom falls away unexpectedly like the edge of a cliff to depths of about 25 feet.  Much debris and
logs from last winter s flood made the dragging of the river a long and arduous task. Wendell Torrison wearing an
oxygen mask, checked the river s bottom, reporting the swift current, and helped in freeing the logs where the body was
eventually found. Large crowds gathered on the scene to watch the rescue operations.  It was estimated that front 200 to
500 people were present at different intervals. While the search was going on at the river, Mrs. Brainard, the victim's
mother, was en route by train to Los Angles.  She was notified of the mishap at Bakersfield where her sister, who had
been called by Mr. Brainrd, intercepted the train Besides the fire department and sheriff s office under the direction of
Sheriff Dan Kelsay, many other citizens helped in the search, including boys who dived and swam in the vicinity where
the victim was last seen. City Councilman Joseph Bennett put his boat at the disposal of the sheriff's office and was on
duty himself throughout the time.  Ernest Rose donated a winch equipped truck for dragging the river after the winch on
the fire truck broke. Al McCune, Wade Cripe and John Delphia remained with the fire department truck until 9 p. m.
Saturday assisted by Henry Schmidt, Tom Dempsey, Leo Verschelden, C. C. Bessey,  Walter Frank and Roy Klein.
Henry Landers, Oakdale rural fire chief, who is well informed on rescue work, was also on hand to give assistance.
Firemen who answered the first call had to rush equipment to the scene on foot from where the truck bogged down in the
sand on the river bank. In addition to his parents, Gene is survived by seven sisters and two brothers: Leola, Leila. Buela,
Winifred, LeRoy and Mrs. Betty Emrnons, all of Patterson; Mrs. Jane Brown, Turlock; Mrs. Marjorie Santos, Modesto;
and Clifton Brainard, stationed in Korea with the Armed Forces. Gene was born in Piedmont, Kansas and attended the
Patterson schools. He was a high school sophomore where he played "B" basketball, was active in the cadets, and was
assistant manager of the baseball team. Funeral services were held from the Evans Funeral Chapel with Reverend C. A.
Nylund Officiating.  Interment was at Del Puerto Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Paul Verschelden, Charles Frank, Ronnie Black, Ray Morgan, Russell Smith and Don Hicks.