Ronald Chappell Redd -- Drowning Victim

 

On the morning of Wednesday, May 21, 1980, 29-year-old Ronald Chappell Redd and his friend Mervin Keck of Grand Junction, Colorado set out on a trip to canoe the whitewater rapids of the Gunnison River in western Colorado. The Gunnison River, between the towns of Delta and Grand Junction, Colorado, usually offers a very scenic and gentle float. The river flows through beautiful slick rock canyon country. The solitude and unspoiled beauty of this river make this trip truly a unique river experience. The narrow river corridor of the Gunnison Gorge creates exciting whitewater rafting in Colorado as the rapids wind into the 2,800 ft high walls of Black Canyon.

However, recent rains in the area had caused the rapids of the Gunnison to be more treacherous than usual. Redd and Keck had difficulty maneuvering their canoe in the rough waters and their boat capsized by the rapids near the town of Bridgeport.  Redd was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.  Both were thrown from the boat and Keck was able to make it to safety, but Redd was lost in the rapids.

Mesa County authorities searched the area for Redd but by the afternoon he was presumed drowned in the torrents of the Gunnison River.  The search for the Redd’s body was hampered by a river swollen from runoff and heavy rain.  Mesa County Sheriff Capt. Joe Hicks said the river was moving swiftly and full of debris, making it difficult to search for Redd's body.  “There are some logs three feet wide and 30 feet long in the river" Hicks said "It's just too high and too fast."  Sheriff's deputies used an airplane and a boat in the search for Redd, who was declared lost in the river at 5:21 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, 1980 when his canoe capsized. Hicks said search dogs were also used in an attempt to sniff out a trail, but no trace of Redd had been uncovered.  Officials speculated Redd did not survive when the canoe capsized halfway between Bridgeport and Whitewater, between 12 and 15 miles south of Grand Junction.   "It doesn’t' appear that he got out." Hicks said.

Crews of the Denver and the Rio Grande western railroad trains that pass near the river were asked to watch for Redd's body.  Most of the stretch where Redd was believed to have drowned is accessible only by railroad tracks running next to the river.

The body of Ronald Chappell Redd was not recovered for over two weeks after the accident, until Thursday, June 5, 1980 at 7:45 p. m. by sheriff officers.  The body was noticed about 6:15 p.m. by railroad crews who had notified authorities.

Redd and his family had been residents of Grand Junction for only about two years at the time of the accident.  He had lived in Colorado Springs for most of his life.  He was born in Trigg County, Kentucky on July 15, 1951 and was a bricklayer by trade.  He was survived by his wife, Lauretta “Jenny” Atnip Redd and two children, Carrie Ann and John Blane and his parents, Chappell and Vernell Redd of Colorado Springs.

THE LINEAGE:

(Ronald Chappell Redd was the son of Chappell Blane and Anna Vernell Johnson Redd, the grandson of D. B. and Bessie Marie Sumner Redd, the great-grandson of Thomas “Tommie” Darnell and Lula Bell Thomas Sumner and the great-great-grandson of James Edmond and Mary Louisa Bridges Sumner.  Mary Louisa was the second child of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges.  Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)