Spanish Fork Youth Drowns In Attempt to Swim Across Salem Lake; Body Recovered
Salem Lake claimed its first victim in its history as a recreation center Sunday night when Alan Glade Seeley, 19, of 774 N. 300 W., Spanish Fork, drowned while attempting to swim across it.
The youth, son of Mrs. Lyda Seeley, was swimming with two companions, Sidney B. Hayward, 19, and Fred Finch, 19, both of Spanish Fork, from the south side of the lake to the north side. His two companions made the north shore safely but the victim went down in the middle of the lake in about 15 feet of water. The accident happened about 8:30 p.m.
Fred Finch went back onto the lake in a rowboat to look for the victim and when he failed to spot him, called back to shore. Bill Johnson of the Salem police was summoned.
By 9 p.m., Salem firemen, Deputy Sheriff Clark Nelson, and other volunteers in six rowboats began probing the lake bottom with fire department probe poles and grappling hooks from the Utah County Sheriff’s office.
The body was found at 10:40 p.m. with Stanley Cole and Roy Despain recovering it from the water. A resuscitator was used and mouth to mouth breathing was attempting in tries to revive the youth. The youth was pronounced dead by a physician at Payson Hospital.
He was born Jan. 3, 1944, at Payson, the son of William Percel Lyda Spencer Seeley.
He received his education in Spanish Fork schools and was graduated from Spanish Fork High School. He was a member of Battery C. Second Hwtz, Battalion, 145th Artillery, Utah National Guard. He was a member of the LDS Church.
He is survived by his mother of Spanish Fork; three brothers, Lon Seeley, Spanish Fork; Bert Seeley, Salem; Arthur Seeley, in the Armed Forces at Ft. Sill, Okla.; one grandmother, Mrs. Roxie Gull, Spanish Fork; one step-father, Dave Gull, Spanish Fork.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Spanish Fork Sixth Ward Chapel with Bishop Merrill Clark officiating. Friends may call at Our Chapel of Memories Mortuary in Spanish Fork Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday prior to services. Interment will be in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.
Published in The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah) Monday July 8, 1963, front page and page 4
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