Scott Williams swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
A 79-year-old boater was found dead Thursday on Lily Lake one day after his boat turned up adrift on the lake where he liked to fish.
The body of Maynard R. Sohr, who lived on nearby Emily Lane in the town of Washington, was recovered shortly before 10 a.m. after sonar equipment led searchers to the submerged body.
Capt. Tom Tuma of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department said it appears Sohr drowned and that no foul play was involved in his death.
Witnesses reported seeing Sohr fishing about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday on the 14-foot-long boat that was found adrift and unoccupied Wednesday morning on the small lake.
“It was not uncommon for him to be out fishing on the lake,” Tuma said.
County Coroner Brian Westfahl examined Sohr’s body at the scene and was assisting in the investigation.
Tuma was not sure if an autopsy would be performed, and he said investigators were not speculating on what caused Sohr to end up in the water. He was found not wearing a life vest.
Westphal could not be reached for comment.
Searchers found the boater’s body submerged in water 8 to 10 feet deep using sonar equipment provided by the state Department of Natural Resources. Also assisting in the search were the Shawano County Dive and Rescue Team, the Cecil/Washington Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service, and Thedastar.