Durnil, Roy Jack

50, a Jay Oklahoma funeral director, was drowned early today when his ambulance motor quit while going up the bank of Grand Lake and plunged down the incline into 30 feet of water. The accident occurred between Jay and Grove Oklahoma at the Honey Creek ferry. Durnil had been in Muskogee Oklahoma for the burial of Jess Chronister, one of three miners killed in a recent mine accident. Durnil had been helping his brother, John Durnil, Picher Oklahoma funeral director, who was deluged with funerals. Roy Durnil left Picher shortly after 12:30 o'clock this morning and when he stopped at Afton Oklahoma for gas remarked according to Highway Patrolman Dick Cramer: "I'll be glad to get home from this. We've had 14 funerals all bunched together." Because he was tired and cold, he told the service station attendant, "I think I'll take the short cut across the ferry." While being ferried across from Grove to Jay, Durnil repeated his desire to get home to the two ferrymen, Wallace Sparkman and Ab Browning of Grove. They cautioned him the river was lower than usual, and the bank was correspondingly longer and steeper, officers said, and it was cold. As the ferry moored on the Jay side of the river Durnil stopped briefly to warm himself in the ferrymen's "dog house." "I'm in a hurry to get home. I believe I'll chance it." Actually, the man said none thought it too hazardous. A few seconds later Sparkman and Browning heard the motor splutter and as they came from their shanty they saw the ambulance, a 1938 converted Chevrolet panel truck, almost to the crest of the incline when the motor quit cold, and it started backing down the hill. In horror they watched it gather impetus down the 30 feet of steep grade, across the 40 feet of the ferry, smash into and through the guard chain and into space 10 feet before dropping into the lake and out of sight. Kramer and Glen W. Walsh of the state Highway patrol, with Jay's sheriff, Jap Holland, took charge of the rescue work. Everyone with a boat, lights, or grappling equipment assisted in the work. After six consecutive hours of searching, Clyde Smith of Grove and Butler Bushyhead of Jay recovered the body, officers said. It was behind the wheel, just as the ferryman had last seen it. The ambulance was recovered an hour later. Those assisting in its recovery were Jay school superintendent, J. E. Earp; Joe Earp of Jay and Al Wensel of Grove, both of the Fish and Game Department rangers; P. Williams and Dr. Henri of Grove and many others. Durnil was a veteran of World World I. Besides his brother, he is survived by his wife, Cecil Durnil; a son, Floyd Durnil, overseas with the U.S. Army; a step-daughter, Mrs. Jerry Crain of Dallas; three sisters, Mrs. Pearl Childress, Commerce, Mrs. Scott Thompson of Welch Oklahoma, and Mrs. Claude Hays, Compton, California. The funeral will be from the Durnil funeral Home in Picher at a date to be announced later.