Thomas D. Workman, 18, of Cuba, died in a drowning accident Thursday evening, Mar. 29, 1979.
Workman was a passenger in a small fishing boat with Ramona Burhans, 15, of Liverpool and Willis T. Gale, 19, of Cuba when the boat overturned in rough water approximately one-quarter mile north of Liverpool in the Illinois River.
Officials of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department reported Workman was found in approximately 30 feet of water, 0 to 60 feet from the treeline, or roughly where the boat capsized.
Officials of the Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois State Conservation Department searched the waters until late Thursday night with no success but found the body shortly after they resumed the search early Friday morning.
The boat had no life jackets and officials said the current was very strong with a strong undertow.
He was born in Beardstown, Oct. 14, 1960, the son of Lyle and Edna (Harris) Workman. Both survive.
Also surviving are three brothers, Paul B. Workman of Cuba, Sgt. Daniel Workman of Ft. Knox, Ky., and Jeff Workman, at home in Cuba; and a sister, Joyce, also at home.
He lived in Cuba for nine years and attended Cuba High School.
He attended Assembly of God Church in Cuba and was member of the Frontier Camping Fraternity and Royal Rangers of that church.
He was a member of the Canton Auxiliary Police Force, the Fulton County Civil Defense and also the Volunteer Fire Department of Cuba.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday at Hukill Funeral Chapel in Cuba with Rev. Willis Wilson officiating. Burial was in White Chapel Memory Gardens at Canton.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus