BLANTON, Ronald Wayne - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Ronald Blanton, 21, died at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Danville about 5:25 o’clock Thursday morning after suffering a broken neck while diving at the Butts Pond north of Veedersburg on Sunday afternoon. The Covington youth was swimming with a group at the pond and he apparently dived into a portion of the water where he struck bottom.  He was taken to the hospital in the Fishero ambulance after the Veedersburg emergency squad was summoned. Attempts to secure a doctor were futile and he was then taken directly to the hospital. He was paralyzed from the waist down and his condition remained critical until his death on Thursday morning. The death marks another tragic incident for the Butts Pond.  It is considered unsatisfactory for swimming by most Veedersburg resident although the pond constructed by the Conservation Department is open to the public. The swimming victim was employed by Sullivan Grocery in Covington.  Ronald Wayne Blanton was born at Cayuga on Nov 25, 1934 the son of Dunny (sic) and Ellen Shuman Blanton.  He was married Nov 13, 1952 to Suella Fletcher of Veedersburg. Surviving is the wife, mother, Mrs. Ellen Wiggley 9of Covington three half brothers and the maternal grandmother. The body was taken to the Bodine & Shelby Funeral Home in Covington where it will remain until services on Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock daylight time.  Services will be conducted by the Rev. Glen Ray with burial in Mt. Hope Cemetery. – kbz