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Local Man Loses Life In Meramec River

A Bloomsdale man drowned in the Meramec River last Wednesday evening, while kayaking with friends.

Jonathan Kern, 52, and his friends were on the river near Leasburg in Crawford County. At about 8 p.m., the friends noticed that Kern was missing.

According to the Missouri State Water Patrol report, the friends tried to locate him for a time, but when they could not do so they called the water patrol, which began a search.

Kern was found at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday in about 8 feet of water. According to the water patrol report he was not wearing a life jacket.

Kern’s body was taken to Basler Funeral Home. See the obituary page for information.

Kern’s death is one of three drowning deaths on the Meramec in little more than one week.

On August 21 a 25-year-old man from Union, Missouri was killed after he jumped from a cliff into the river, also near Leasburg. Reports say he hit his head and did not resurface. On Sunday, August 29, a 17-year-old man from Florissant attempted to swim across the channel to a rope swing. He called for help, then submerged and did not resurface. That incident occurred near Stanton, Missouri.