A family picnic ended in tragedy yesterday when an eight year old Dowling boy drowned in Clear Lake.
Mark E Pierce, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Pierce, was declared dead about 4pm by a Delton physician after his body was recovered in five feet of water and efforts by the Bedford Rescue Squad to revive the boy failed.
The family said Mark had been swimming with other children in front of the dance pavilion while the family was at the lake on a picnic. A search was started for him as soon as he was missed and a relative recovered the body about 15 minutes later. The rescue squad reported they used two and a half tanks of oxygen in an effort to revive the boy.
Death was attributed to drowning by Dr. AG Shedlock of Delton.
The boys death was not reported to law enforcement officials until the body was been removed to the Leonard Funeral Home in Hastings.
Mark was born Jun 6, 1952 in Battle Creek. He would have been a third grade student at Barney Mill School this fall. Besides his parents, he is survived by a sister, Brenda 6,; two brothers, Marshall 1, and Thomas 4; his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Stampfler of Route 4, Delton; the paternal grandmother, Mrs. Marshall Pierce of Dowling and the maternal great grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Love of Bellevue.
Funeral services will be held at 3 pm Wed at the Dowling Methodist Church. Burial will be in Dowling Cemetery. The body will lie in state at the Leonard Funeral Home until noon Wednesday.
- Battle Creek Enquirer: 18 Jul 1960
