Patterson Cemetery District, Stanislaus County, CA 

Submitted by Gale Stroud and Burta Herger 26 Aug 2007

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Nordstrom Karl 490901 p1
Body of Hayward Drowning Victim Taken from River Monday Morning; The sluggish, almost still waters, of the San
Joaquin river claimed a youthful victim Sunday. Karl Nordstrom, 13, was drowned Sunday noon when he lost his balance
and fell into the water at a near inaccessible point near the foot of Eucalypts avenue. The boy was on a fishing expedition
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Nordstrom, of Hayward.  Frantic efforts were made by his father and by another
friend to rescue the struggling boy from the water, but their efforts were without success. The resuscitator squad from the
Patterson fire department was summoned to the scene.  Meanwhile R. L. Spencer a nearby rancher and others made
strenuous efforts to recover the body. Drag-line operations continued throughout Sunday.  It was not until the next
morning that Joe Silva, of Patterson, and George Eldridge, of Modesto, were successful in locating the body in 12 feet of
water 100 feet down-stream from where he fell in.  J. K. Ransom, county coroner directed the search operations Sunday
abandoning efforts that evening. The stricken family remained in the scene until next morning and the father made
repeated dives unaided in frantic effort to recover the body of his eldest son. A group of fishermen happened on the tragic
scene and offered their services in the search.  Although, inexperienced in rescue operation the men were successful.
Ransom arrived in the afternoon after the body had been recovered. He said he was detained at a court hearing in
Modesto.  The youthful victim was the eldest of six children.  The body was taken to Hayward for funeral services and
burial.