WILLIAMSBURG, Ohio (May 14, 2015) — On April 30, 1974, two brothers from the Village of Williamsburg drowned in an accident at the Williamsburg dam on the Little Miami River. Their father made simple markers for the graves of Tom Harris, who was 14, and Kenny, who was 11.
“Every student in every class in Williamsburg remembers exactly where they were when they heard these boys had died,” said Sharon Boh, who was 9 at the time, and remembers it vividly. And those memories were rekindled through a Facebook page dedicated to alumni who had passed away. “We wished we could do something,” Sharon said. And so they did.
At 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, a monument bench will be dedicated to the boys at Williamsburg Cemetery, near their burial plot, a gift from Williamsburg alumni from throughout the years who banded together to make this happen. (Here is the Facebook page set up for the dedication.)
“We wanted to make a lasting memorial that would stand the test of time,” said Sharon, who helped spearhead the drive with other alumni. Approximately $850 was raised from 200 people, and then Lykins Energy Solutions pledged to pay for the granite monument, which was created by alumni Dennis Wass and Wayne Allison. Some of the funds raised are being used to buy vases and flowers for the bench, said Sharon. Several businesses in Williamsburg have donated their services, she said.
The boys’ mother, who is elderly and living in a nursing home, will be at the dedication, said Sharon.
“Williamsburg is a small community,” said Sharon, who still lives there. “This is from our community and our alumni, some of whom are still here and others who are across the United States. We wanted to honor the brothers and pay our respects.”
For more information, contact Sharon Boh, 513-502-2441, sharonboh@gmail.com. The cemetery is located at N. Eighth and Gay streets in Williamsburg.
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