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Submitted: 5/28/21 • Approved: 5/29/21 • Last Updated: 6/1/21 • R422292-G0-S3
October 31, 1951-January 27, 1962
Our Son
Photo/information, courtesy of Edith Guynes Stanley
*Obituary
A shallow ice-crusted pond, only a stone's throw from the warm safety of a ranch house, yielded the bodies of three Borger boys Saturday night ending a frustrating search involving more than 100 law enforcement officers and friends of the missing youths.
Dead are:
William James "Billy" Cox, 10, son of Mr. and Mrs. James R. Cox, 219 Teague.
Melvin Erick "Rusty" Kite, 10, son of Mr. and Mrs. G.E. Kite, 111 Kiekbusch.
James Harvey Langham, 11, son of Mr. and Mrs. D.J. Langham, 221 Moreland.
According to reports given to Hutchinson County Sheriff Hugh Anderson, the youths and two other boys, Phil Kliewer, 105 Smith, and a boy identified as Wayne O'Daniel, left home Saturday morning shortly after 8 a.m. for a hike through the canyons adjoining the Keeler Heights area where all made their homes.
One of the youths, the O'Daniel boy, returned home near 10 a.m. The Kliewer youth returned at 1 p.m. and told Mrs. Cox that the remaining three had gone to "look for a pond to skate on."
Mrs. Cox and friends immediately began searching for the boys, driving over the area and reportedly even employed a private plane in the search.
Anderson said that shortly before 6 p.m. Mrs. Cox reported the missing youngsters and he dispatched a unit to her home to aid in the search. Other units of the Hutchinson County Sheriff's Department, Auxiliary Deputies, Sheriff's Posse and Borger Police Department were summoned and skin divers from Borger and Stinnett were called in to probe area stock ponds.
The search centered at a popular body of water known to area youths as "pop-bottle." The small lake is approximately 80 feet wide and 250 feet long.
Tracks were visible on the surface of the ice-crusted pond.
Shortly before 10 p.m. the divers discovered the boys' bodies in only five feet of water. Anderson speculated that the boys fell over the edge of the ice rather than through it. No holes were visible in the ice.
Condition of the bodies indicated that the youths had been in the water for a long period of time and officers expressed the opinion that they must have fallen in shortly after the Kliewer boy left for home.
The bodies were first taken to North Plains Hospital and then to Minton Mortuary where funeral services are pending.
William James Cox is survived by his parents Mr. and Mrs. James R. Cox, a sister, Nancy and a brother, John.
Melvin Erick Kite is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G.E. Kite, and two sisters, Valerie and Vanessa.
James Harvey Langham is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Harvey, a sister, Kathy and a brother, Jack.
All of the youths were students at Davy Crockett elementary school.
Anderson expressed his thanks to all of the various agencies who aided in the search. He said it might have taken much long and been much more difficult had not so many volunteered their services.
(Published in Borger News Herald, January 28, 1962)
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Final rites for William James Cox will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Wesley Methodist Church with the pastor, Rev. John Rakestraw, officiating. Burial under the direction of Minton Mortuary will follow in Highland Park Cemetery.
Survivors include the boy's parents, Mr. and Mrs. James R. Cox; sister, Nancy; a brother, John; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. R.C. Mayes, Borger, and the maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Shettel, Womahawk, Wisconsin.
Casketbearers will be D.O. Vogel, Bob Clontz, Harlan Terry, Nolan Eason, Dr. Jasper Peeples and Glen Forseth.
(Published in Borger News Herald, January 28, 1962)
Texas Death Index, 1903-2000
Name: William James Cox
Death Date: 27 Jan 1962
Death County: Hutchinson
Certificate: 3955
Contributed on 5/28/21
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Record #: 422292