Friday, December 12, 1952
Heart Attack Fatal For Dragger's Cook
John Evans Dies on Kingfisher
Vessel Bound from Grand Banks
John Evans, 56 years, this
city, cook aboard the local auxiliary fishing dragger Kingfisher,
died at sea on Grand Banks at 2 o'clock this morning, of a heart ailment. The
100-foot dragger in command of Capt. Ralph Jensen has started the
950-mile voyage home with the body and is expected in Gloucester this coming Monday night.
It was the late Mr. Evans'
first trip on the Kingfisher. He suffered what he
considered was a stomach ache late yesterday afternoon while the craft was on Grand Banks,
but which turned out to be much more serious. Capt. Jensen was very
much concerned, and contacted the U. S. Coast Guard by radio telephone to be connected
with medical help from ashore.
A hook-up was arranged between the Kingfisher
and the U. S. Public Health Service at Brighton, where Dr. Miriam Manning talked directly
to Capt. Jensen advising him as to what to do. It was decided that
the late Mr. Evans' condition was of so serious a nature preventing the
advisability of his being transferred to a plane and thus taken to a hospital.
Capt. Jensen changed the
course for Louisburg, Cape Breton, to land the ailing cook at that port, but at 2 o'clock
this morning, Mr. Evans passed away. Capt. Jensen
decided then to return to Gloucester. He talked by radio telephone at 4 o'clock
this morning with Lawrence E. McEwen of this city, owner of the Kingfisher,
to advise him of what had occurred.
Mr. Evans was born at Mose
Ambrose, Fortune Bay, N. F., son of William and Sarah (Thornal)
Evans. He came to Gloucester in 1926 and has gone as cook aboard Gloucester
fishing boats ever since, including the Puritan, Wild Duck, Mary and Josephine
and the Kingfisher.
He leaves his wife, Mrs. Vera
(Knickle) Evans, of Gloucester; three daughters and one son; a brother, William,
of Gloucester, and a sister, also of Gloucester. |
