Forty years after the worst boating disaster in state history, Lake Pomona was quiet — and hot.
The weather was in sharp contrast to the evening of June 17, 1978, when a tornado developed on the lake and eventually capsized the Whippoorwill, a paddle-wheel replica riverboat that had nearly 60 people on board for a cruise that evening. Sixteen people died, including three Emporia State University professors — Drs. Sarah Reed, Zubaidah Isa and Muriel Fuller.
All three were part of Emporia State’s School of Library and Information Management when they died. Current dean Dr. Wooseob Jeong says Dr. Reed was well known and respected for her work, and at the time Emporia State’s SLIM department had a strong summer program for teachers. That’s what brought Drs. Isa and Fuller to Emporia.
Part of the summer schedule were excursions to Lake Pomona, including cruises and performances on the Whippoorwill.
Dr. Jeong says Emporia State students we often on board as well, and that was the case when the tornado hit the Whippoorwill.
It’s unclear how many ESU students were on the boat when the tornado hit. None died, and in fact Jeong says they were responsible for saving several lives after the boat capsized.
Jeong has served as the SLIM dean for two years, and as he began researching the department’s and university’s history, he reached out to a former temporary instructor, Jim Marvin, who directed Topeka’s library system at the time and later became the SLIM department’s interim director.
The SLIM department held an impromptu ceremony at the lake Sunday, including current SLIM faculty, department alumni and family members. Dr. Jeong tells KVOE News the department has scholarships established to honor Drs. Reed and Fuller, and the current plan is to plant a redbud tree and a stone plaque outside the William Allen White Library in honor of Dr. Isa.
To donate to the project, mail contributions to:
School of Library and Information Management
Campus Box 4025
1 Kellogg Circle
Emporia KS 66801
Whippoorwill tornado: June 17, 1978
Passengers on board: 58
Killed: 16
Injured: 3
Tornado rating: F1
Path length: Eight miles
Path width: Maximum 150 yards
Tornado developed on the west edge of the lake around 7 pm and moved east, dissipating near the Michigan Valley community. The path included damage to campers, trees and power lines both at and near the lake. The twister struck the Whippoorwill about 100 yards offshore. Witnesses say as many as three additional funnels rotated around the main tornado during its life cycle.
Information courtesy National Weather Service
