Murray - Sandie - Deane
Source: Waveland Independent, Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana, June 23, 1955
The community was terribly shocked on Monday afternoon when
word was received that Sandra MURRAY was drowned at the
Sportsmen's Club Swimming pool. The Journal-Review gives the
following account: Apparently unnoticed by other swimmers and
sunbathers, Sandra Deane Murray, 16, of Waveland, drowned Monday
afternoon shortly before 3 o'clock in the Sportsman's Club pool.
Her body was recovered from 5' of water shortly after she was
missed by a companion, Marilyn Deckard, 504 S. Grant Ave. Efforts
to revive her, first by artificial respiration administered by
James Hampton of Waynetown, the life guard, and with the fire
department's resuscitator upon its arrival proved to no avail.
The Murray girl started to swim from the pier in shallow water on
the east side of the pool to the barrier which divides the pool
into two sections. According to Miss Deckard, who was swimming
with her, Sandra said that she wasn't able to make it and was
going to return to the pier. Miss Deckard continued to the
barrier. A few minutes later she was unable to find the Murray
girl and notified Hampton the life guard. A search was started
and the body was found by Bill Y. Thomas, 110 Morgan St. Hampton
immediately began to use artificial respiration on the girl and
continued until the resuscitator arrived, a doctor pronounced her
dead some 30 minutes after she had gone down. None of the scores
of persons who were spending the hot afternoon at the club saw
the girl sink or heard any cries for help. Miss Murray, who would
have started her junior year at Waveland HS this fall was staying
at the home of Dr. and Mrs. WF Peacock, 500 S. Grant. She and the
Peacock's two children, John and Patsy, had come to the pool
earlier by taxi. It was the first drowning in the nearly 25 years
the club has been in existence. A baton twirler and bass drummer
with the Waveland School band, the girl was the daughter of Dean
and Geraldine Murray. She was born Jun3 19, 1939 in Russellville
and was a member of the St. Bernard's Catholic Church in
Crawfordsville. Besides the parents, she is survived by 3
sisters, Margie; Lanna and Melody Jeanne all at home; two
grandmothers, Mrs. O'Neil of Indianapolis and Mrs. Irene
McGaughey of Russellville. Funeral mass was held Thursday at 9:00
a.m. at St. Bernard's by Rev. JC Keating. Burial in Russellville
Cemetery. -- transcribed by kbz