Brookville to Host Memorial for Drowned Couple
Posted by Terry White on December 29, 2006
From this morning’s Mahoning Valley (OH) Tribune Chronicle:
Family awaits rescue efforts
By RON SELAK JR. Tribune Chronicle
WARREN — Seeing in person Wednesday the swift moving water that swept away his sister and brother-in-law on Christmas Day, Kevin Cordner says he’s come to this conclusion: Patricia and Craig Wenner couldn’t survive the treacherous water of Stillwater River.
Cordner of Southington said from his sister’s Dayton-area home that rescue crews still were unable to get into the river at Englewood MetroPark to search for the couple due to high water.
‘‘This is such a shock to all of us,’’ Cordner said. ‘‘They were very beloved, two of the most super people you want to meet, and to have them snuffed, snuffed like you would a candle, and plus in front of the girls. They saw it, that just adds to the pain.’’
Former Champion resident Patricia Wenner, 50, her husband, Craig, 50, and their black Labrador retriever, Shadow, disappeared Monday in the river between a low-head dam and the Englewood Dam, about 10 miles northwest of Dayton. The couple was taking a Christmas Day walk with their daughters, Carolyn, 15, and Sara, 13.
The family has scheduled a memorial service for 2 p.m. Sunday at Brookville Grace Brethren Church in Brookville, northwest of Dayton. In the meantime, they wait for recovery of the bodies.
Cordner said family members will be taking responsibility for the girls and are working on arrangements.
Police said the apparent drownings began when the family dog wandered into a part of the river between the dams where the water is described as treacherous and apparently began struggling.
Patricia — a nurse for 25 years at Good Samaritan Hospital — waded into the turbulent water in an attempt to save the dog. Her husband, past director of the park, then went to her rescue.
One of the daughters remained on the bank while the other ran up the side to flag down a motorist on a nearby highway to call for help. Emergency calls went out about 2:30 p.m.
The teen who stayed on the bank told authorities she saw her parents in the water for several minutes before they disappeared. Cordner said it’s hoped water levels will begin receding soon, allowing rescue crews to get in and scour the river, which isn’t a large body of water, but one that flows significantly.
‘‘It’s not odd they haven’t been found yet, but it’s very undetermined as to when,’’ Cordner said.
Cordner said after visiting the river on Wednesday that its water remained high and the undertow heading toward the tubes at the base of the earthen dam was powerful.
‘‘We saw it with our own eyes,’’ Cordner said of river’s pace.
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