By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
One man is dead after he was pulled from the water following an outing on a boat at Mayfield Lake.
Aid and deputies were called about 11:15 a.m. today to an area near Ike Kinswa Park at the northwest portion of the lake.
Firefighters from Mossyrock rescued one man off a small island while members of the Salkum fire department responded to a second man on the shore at the park, according to Lewis County Fire District 3 Chief Doug Fosburg.
The second man didn’t make it, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s Cmdr. Steve Aust said the pair had stopped on the island and while there, the 12-foot boat began to drift away so one of the men jumped into the lake to go after it.
The water is very, very cold, Aust said.
His companion saw he was in distress and attempted to get to him, but had to turn back because of the cold temperatures, Aust said.
A park employee on the shore was able to retrieve the boat and then the man, Aust said.
Fosburg said one was transported to Morton General Hospital and the other to Providence Centralia Hospital. He described the individual picked up from the island as hypothermic.
No names were released.
Aust said today was the first day of fishing season, so they may have been fishing, but he didn’t know for sure.
Initial reports are the men are from Lewis County, and the deceased is 35 years old, but that wasn’t yet confirmed, Aust said.
Gary lee Rhoads Jr
. born in Tacoma WA.. Yelm high school. always camped and fished, and hunted the mt.area..promised his grandfather one day he would live in the Morton, WA area-
he would look at the clouds and say quite often,grandpa i live here ,promised you i would… one day..
.Morton 5 yrs, mineral lake 5 yrs ,Morton again for 2 yrs. then to silver creek for one yr..
finally our own home..so perfect so happy..
good man. unbelievable good heart,caretaker,personality,loved all animals-You would think he was talking on the phone at times , no– just a conversation with his CAT or DOG and best fishing buddy. always rescuing small hurt animals…always out to help a neighbor. He was a cook at the Rambling Jacks Rib Eye Stk House- on I-5 ,off Rush Road.. truly a second family to him…owner held a memorial for Gary.and like a best friend with any life’s up and down w/perfection and care.-.and all of them helped me through this..the chef Mel came to visit me for a morning..and spoke of his dedication to the restaurant-and would be hard to cover his spot as lead cook-cook manager Mike, repeated calls to chk on me– the friendships he made..mad him such a happy man.
with such care..all the employee well deeply miss him…. Thank you and love to all of you ,it helps so much to know he was so loved…he is not replaceable-
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED IN THE RESCUE FROM SALKUM FIRE DEP.DIST.3
MORTON HOSPITAL FOR YOUR CARE..MY NEIGHBORS WITH KIND WORDS..WOW!(ALL OF YOU, KEVIN AT MORTON HOSPITAL WITH EMERGENCY # IF I NEEDED ANYTHING AT ALL, DAY OR NIGHT..HE WOULD SEND SOMEONE RIGHT AWAY.. THANK YOU…SO VERY MUCH…
IT TAKES SPECIAL AND GOD SENT PEOPLE TO DO THIS HONORABLE JOB… AND THE HEART FILLED AND PERFECT HELP I WAS GIVEN IN IKE KINSWA PARK – AND THE STILL RECURRING CALLS I GET TO BE SURE I AM OK.. SO MANY BLESSING TO ALL HIS FAMILY AND BEST FRIEND DARIN AND HIS SISTER MINDY THAT CALL’S ME EVERYDAY FOR SUPPORT.FROM T.N.(AND CAME TO STAY WITH ME FOR A WEEK….HIS UNCLE KARL THAT WAS WITH GRAY..SO VERY HAPPY HE WAS WITH HIS FAVORITE PERSON FISHING AND THEY WERE AT THEIR HAPPIEST.. I LOVE YOU….KARL AND BARBXO.
LADY LUCK COWGIRL UP ALSO GAVE GARY A MEMORIAL.. THE OWNER WAS LIKE A SECOND MOTHER TO GARY..HE SPOKE SO HIGHLY OF HER…WORKED FOR HER OFF AND ON FROM HIS MID.20’S AND ON…SHE WOULD SEE GARY AND I AND SAY, SON YOU BE GOOD TO THAT GIRL…THANK-YOU- ALWAYS PRAY AND COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS…. GARY LEE RHOADS JR.. I LOVE YOU SWEET…
JULY 27,1967– APRIL 26,2014
TO ALL OUR FRIENDS HERE, ELB,ASHFORD,MINERAL,MORTON ,MOSSYROCK SILVERCREEK,YELM,TACOMA,CHEHALIS,RANDLE ETC.. – MY WARMEST HUGS…I AM SO SO VERY BLESSED…PATTY
” BE KIND TO EACH OTHER ! “ALWAYS” SHARE YOUR SMILE TO MAKE SOMEONES DAY…”
e
woops,,typo error,,rest in peace Gary,,rest in peace
Though I never got the chance to meet you..wish I could have,,rest in piece,,till we get the chanee to meet,,rest in piece Gary
thanks to all for the support and kind words. person who drowned was my cousin and he wasn’t 35 he was 47. rest in peace Gary
The water in Mayfield comes off the bottom of Riffe lake. It is far too cold to be in.
Wow it may have been sunny yesterday but that water had to have been so cold!
My heart breaks for the family! Especially the other boater! How truly tragic. Prayers being sent!
How very sad