Two tribal fisherman who drowned in river identified

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Search boats looking for a third Yakama Nation fisherman presumed drowned on the Columbia River were again rebuffed Saturday by heavy weather.

Meanwhile, two of the victims of the Friday accident were identified as Jessica Lewis, 29, of Wapato and Wilson LaRoque, 57, of Toppenish.

Their names were released in death notices prepared by Colonial Funeral Home of Toppenish, which is handling funeral services.

Sara Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission, said she did not expect the name of the missing man to be released until later.

Conditions were good Saturday, but search vessels from the fish commission and Warm Springs and Umatilla tribes got off the water in the afternoon because of heavy winds causing whitecaps. Winds up to 50 mph were forecast for the Columbia River Gorge.

A shoreline search continued, Thompson said.

The accident occurred Friday morning in heavy swells and high winds off Wishram, Wash. The fourth man on board was able to make it to shore.

That day's marine search also had to be suspended due to weather.

The deaths demonstrated the close ties among the roughly 200 Yakama Nation members who work the commercial tribal fishery each year.

Lewis was a cousin to Eli and Tracy Lewis, who died in a 2002 fishing accident on the river. Her father, Virgil Lewis Sr., has served on the Yakama tribal council.

The 2002 deaths prompted a family fundraising drive to buy underwater cameras for the Yakama Nation and the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission to use during river searches.

During a 2004 ceremony to present the cameras to the agencies, Virgil Lewis said the men would have wanted their families to continue active lifestyles of hunting and fishing and gathering roots.

"That becomes for them the great medicine in the days to come," he said.

After another speaker mentioned that emotional closure never comes because those memories will remain, Lewis said: "Even though it's been awhile, it still seems like yesterday."

Jessica Lewis was raised and educated in the Yakima Valley and most recently worked at Legends Casino in Toppenish, according to her death notice.

LaRoque went to Granger schools and later worked for the Wapato Irrigation District, but he was an active commercial fisherman and woodcutter.

"He thoroughly enjoyed fishing," his death notice stated.

Traditional dressing and overnight services are planned for both Lewis and LaRoque starting Monday, with final services for both at the Satus Point Cemetery. Lewis will be buried on Tuesday, LaRoque on Wednesday.