Individual Details

Death

Tragic death ended a playful swim on a sunny afternoon near Wisner Sunday when Miss Mary Lou Furr, 20-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Furr of Wisner, drowned in a farm pond near her home. Well-liked and recently named “Beauty of the Week” at Northwestern State college where she was a sophomore nursing student, Miss Furr was a 1955 graduate of Wisner High school. At Wisner High, she was not only popular, but active in a number, of school activities — especially in the pep squad which she led in precision marching. Miss Furr and her seven-year-old brother, Wayne, had gone to the pond of a neighbor, Alec DuBell, for a swim about 2:20 p.m. Sunday, unknown to their parents. Rated a fair swimmer and a swimming student at Northwestern, Miss Furr jumped off the diving board at the pond feet first. Apparently suffering a cramp, she came up once, calling for help, but did not surface again. Wayne ran to his father for assistance. The father — who, it is said, regarded Mary Lou as the “apple of his-eye” — ran the 150-yards’ distance to the pond, but was exhausted and winded when he made a desperate plunge. He was unable to stay under water enough to locate his daughter. Neighbors arrived immediately and plunged in with clothes on; however, none of the divers were able to stay under any length of time. An hour had passed when Bo Ensminger, a neighbor, recovered the body. All efforts to revive her were futile. Ironically, Miss Furr’s original plans were to return to Northwestern Sunday. However, since she did not have to register until Tuesday she had talked her parents into letting her stay until Monday, when they were to have driven her to Natchitoches. Funeral services for the drowning victim were held Monday at 4 p.m. at Central Baptist church, where she was a devoted church worker, being particularly active in the church choir. The Rev. Enon Boyette officiated, assisted by the Revs. Ira Patterson and Fred Baxter. Interment followed in Central cemetery. Miss Furr leaves her parents; two brothers, Wayne, and Herbert Ray Furr of Nachodoches, Tex.; two sisters, Peggy Ruth Furr of Wisner and Mrs. Jimmy Tannerhill, Houston, Tex.; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Furr, Wisner, and Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Emfinger of Gilbert. Pallbearers were Virgil Ferrington, Ray Ferrington, Frank Gordy, Hollis Davis, Wayne Seffens and Victor Hodgkins.
The Franklin Sun, Winnsboro, Louisiana, September 13, 1956