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- Bio: Obituary transcribed by Dena Gray-Fisher, source: The Roland Record, Roland, Story County, Iowa, July 15, 1965"Maxwell man, daughter are drownedA rural Maxwell father of four drowned Sunday in an attempt to rescue his daughter who had disappeared after stepping into an underwater hole in the Des Moines River.Dead were Joseph Luther Ferkin, 29, and his daughter, Peggy, 7.Were on PicnicAuthorities said the Ferkins, their children and a neighbor girl were picnicking at the Des Moines River about three miles west of Madrid near Iowa 89.Peggy, wading in the river, sank out of sight. Ferkin jumped into the river in an attempt to save the child, but also sank helplessly out of sight.His horrified wife, Nancy, 24, jumped into the river to rescue the husband and daughter, but the current proved too swift, and she scrambled back to shore.The accident occured shortly before 4 p.m., officials said. Ferkin's body was recovered about 5:20 p.m. a short distance downstream from the accident scene.Member of the Ames Scuba-Snoopers diving club were called to the scene to help in the search for the little's girl's body. Gary Madsen, Woodward, who taught the scuba diving class here, put out the call for assistance which was answered by Arthur E. Oslund, 1214 Orchard Drive; his son, Allan Oslund, Emerald Trailer Court and Lloyd Cafferty, U.S. 69 South, who took three tanks of air to the scene.Search RiverThe two Oslunds, diving in a futile search for the girl's body were joined later by William Schworm, 108 Beach Ave. The body has not yet been located."It is a nasty, muddy river," said Art Oslund, "and there is a lot of current."Mrs. Ferkiin was taken to Iowa Methodist Hospital, Des Moines, where she was reported in "satisfactory" condition today. None of the other three Ferkin children were involved.Ferkin, a mechanic for a Nevada automobile dealer, had moved his family to Maxwell from McCallsburg a few weeks ago.Funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m., in the Bergen Lutheran Church in Roland and with Pastor Howard Lybeck officiating. Burial will be in the Roland cemetery."
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