Memorials › Joseph Patrick Witzel
Joseph Patrick Witzel
17 Aug 1949 – 25 Jun 1966
| Birth | 17 Aug 1949 |
| Death | 25 Jun 1966 |
| Cemetery | Saint Martins Cemetery Tours , McLennan County , Texas , USA |
| Added by | Andrea Berger Walston on 10 Mar 2014 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53072489 |
Bio
Rites Set for Two Scouts Who Drowned in Stock Tank Funeral services will be held Tuesday for 14 year old Anastasio "Tony" Castro of Leroy and the boy who died trying to save him. Young Castro and 16 year old JOE PATRICK WITZEL of Gerald drowned about 5 p.m. Saturday in a stock tank about three miles east of Leroy. Officials said about eight Boy Scouts from Troup 248 of Leroy were on an outing on Scoutmaster Dan Miller's farm when the tragedy occurred. Cecil Primrose, district scount executive with the Heart O' Texas Council, said Miller had left the Scouts at the tank and had gone to get some trotlines. Primrose said Witzel, the senior patrol leader, was left in charge of the boys. Three Scouts got into a boat and drifted out into the tank, Primrose said. He said the boys shifted too much weight onto one side of the boat and it capsized. None of the three could swim, he said. According to Primrose, Witzel and another scout, one of Scoutmaster Miller's sons, went into the water and pulled two of the boys to safety. Then he said, Witzel went back for young Castro. He said Castro grabbed hold of Witzel, the two went under, and neither came back up. By that time, he said, Miller had come running back and he and the other Scouts who could swim went into the water. They were unable to find the two boys. Law enforcement officers and volunteers found the bodies about 9 p.m. Witzel had been in scouting for four years and was a Life Scout, the next-to-the-highest ranking in scouting. He was working toward his Eagle rank, the highest rating. He attended West High School and was to have served as president of the West High Band next year. He was a member of St. Martin's Catholic Church of Tours. Funeral services for Witzel will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday in St. Martin's Church. Rev. Marion Antomanczyk will officiate with burial in St. Martin's Cemetery. Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. today in Aderhold Funeral Chapel. Young Witzel was a native of McGregor and had lived in the West area about 15 years. Witzel is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Witzel of Gerald; two brothers, George J. Witzel with the U.S. Air Force in Formosa and Bobby Witzel with the U.S. Air Force in Biloxi, Miss.; one half-brother, Ramon Taylor of Odessa; one sister, 1st. Lt. Mary Martha Witzel with the U.S. Air Force in Portsmouth, N.H.; a grandmother, Mrs. P. L. Cox of Hico; several nieces and nephews. Funeral services for young Castro will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday in St. Francis on the Brazos Catholic Church in Waco. Rev. Gregory Sabater will officiate with burial in Oakwood Cemetery. The Waco Times Herald, Monday, June 27, 1966
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