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7A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015 LOCAL HERO 1LFH\RXQJRI¿FHUORVWKLVOLIHRQ/RQJ%HDFK By NATALIE ST. JOHN EO Media Group L ONG BEACH, Wash. — It has been nearly 60 years since Patrolman Eugene A. Bolstad — the man for whom Long Beach’s Bolstad Avenue is named — drowned while trying to rescue two young men. But his widow, Barbara Diamond, 84, still remembers certain de- tails of that day as clearly as if they had happened last week. In recent phone interviews, Diamond, who now lives in Ta- coma, Wash., shared her mem- ories of the afternoon when her husband saved one man’s life, but drowned along with the sec- ond young man, a recent high school graduate named Alvin Wiese. A promising start In September 1957, Eugene Bolstad was in love with Bar- bara, and with his job with the Washington State Patrol. Though the two Tacoma na- tives both went to Stadium High School, they didn’t really meet until 19-year-old Barbara was working as a model in a down- town department store. Gene and his half-brother Charles Fain were both on the city police force and he would come to the store to visit her when he was on duty. At about ¶´ WKH FRQ¿GHQW IRUPHU EDV- ketball player and champion swimmer made an impression. “He had lots of girlfriends, was tall, good-looking. He was a lifeguard,” Diamond recalled. During a short courtship, the two went to dances at the Ever- green and Century Ballrooms. They always had fun together, Diamond said, and it wasn’t long before they got engaged. Their September 1951 wedding portrait was featured on the front page of the Tacoma News-Tri- bune’s society section. When Fain lost his leg in an on-the-job motorcycle accident the same year, Gene decided to quit the force, but he didn’t leave policing for long. The couple VWUXJJOHG ¿QDQFLDOO\ DIWHU PRY- ing to Spokane, Wash., so Gene decided to enroll in the Wash- ington State Patrol Academy in Kennewick, Wash. Barbara Diamond recalls being happy with the decision, because WSP provided better working conditions and did a EHWWHU MRE RI WUDLQLQJ WKHLU RI¿- cers. She thought police work ZDVDQDWXUDO¿WIRUKHUKXVEDQG “He was a really nice person that cared about people. He was so happy to help people, so he loved being on patrol,” she said. A place on the Peninsula After graduation, Gene was met her second husband, Paul Diamond, on a blind date, and learned that he had been on the swim team with Bolstad. His ¿UVW ZLIH KDG GLHG WUDJLFDOO\ leaving him with a young son. When they married, Barba- ra Diamond became “an instant mother,” an experience she de- scribes as “fun and wonderful.” Before long, they had a daughter Submitted photo too. Barbara and Gene Bolstad Though the two men were were married in 1951 and very different from one anoth- had settled into contented er, she says she was as happy married life when Eugene with Diamond as she was with lost his life while trying to Bolstad. The two were married rescue young men drown- for more than 40 years, until his ing in the ocean off Long death in 2012. Beach, Wash. Diamond can only recall returning to Long Beach two tually the second and third local times. 7KH ¿UVW ZDV LQ -XQH drowning victims that week, DAMIAN MULINIX — EO Media Group and there was nearly a fourth. when the city renamed the street Bolstad beach approach and Bolstad Avenue in Long Beach, Wash., pay tribute to a he- On Sept. 2, Ilwaco resident Al- and beach approach in Bols- roic young Washington state trooper who died nearby nearly 60 years ago. Many of the bert Kangiser and his 3-year-old tad’s honor. Around 300 people, circumstances that led to Bolstad’s death continue to be factors in surf drownings that daughter Dorothy went over the including dignitaries from the continue into the present day. VLGH RI D ERDW GXULQJ D ¿VKLQJ city, county and WSP attended. GHUE\ LQ &KLQRRN 7ZR ¿VKHU- Local leader (and eventual state assigned to the Peninsula. The IHHOLQJFRQ¿GHQWWKDW*HQHZDV both men went down into a crab men in a nearby boat saved the Senate majority leader) Sid Sny- couple bought a home and two having a busy shift in his patrol hole and did not resurface.” little girl, but the elder Kangiser der presided over the ceremony, little beach cottages in Klipsan car. The city quickly sounded a disappeared under the surface of which included a color guard of Beach from the departing pa- “I’m a 26-year-old gal that “drowning alarm,” triggering a the Columbia River. His body airmen and guardsmen. Barbara trolman. While Gene patrolled, doesn’t even think about some- response from U.S. Coast Guard was not recovered until Wednes- Bolstad, Charles Fain and other Barbara kept busy by renting the thing like that happening to her Station Cape Disappointment. day, Sept. 11, when two gillnet- family members were the guests cottages to the city tourists who husband,” Diamond said. %XWDVVRRQDVWKH¿YHUHVSRQG- WHUV IRXQG KLP LQ DQ HGG\ ¿YH of honor, and a Tacoma reverend gave an address. ÀRFNHGWRWKHEHDFKGXULQJWKH Then the local forester and ing guardsmen launched their miles up river. After the funeral, Barbara long razor clam season. Two details from that day his wife arrived on her doorstep. surf boat, they were “swamped “We had never been there, She looked around at the gather- in rather rough water,” and had stand out in Diamond’s memory: had requested that people do- but it was really a fun place to ing crowd in her home. The truth to return to shore to bale out The phone call from the thought- nate to a fund for lifesaving be stationed,” Diamond remem- hit her: The planes were search- their boat. They made it past less reporter, and the strange re- HTXLSPHQW LQ OLHX RI ÀRZHUV That money paid for a new jeep, bered. She and Gene made lots ing for her husband. the breakers on a second try and action from one of her guests. of new friends, and often worked The friends who showed up at tow-ropes, guard towers, signs “Is it Gene?” she asked the patrolled a wide swath of water, closely with local police, doc- forester. searching for the men without her house that afternoon had acted and life rings, which local Lions tors and other responders when as if nothing was wrong, because Club members dedicated during “Yes.” success. crimes and emergencies arose. About 90 minutes after the they were holding out hope that the ceremony. One life saved, The Diamond family re- It was a lively existence. Bar- two men disappeared, three Gene Bolstad would be saved. two lives lost bara was used to taking police “They didn’t want to say any- turned only one other time, when planes arrived to relieve the surf According to the Sept. 6, boat. Onshore, airmen from the thing to me. They didn’t know if their son Dan was about 8 years calls at all hours. Other locals regularly stopped by their house 1957 Chinook Observer, Alvin Naselle Air Force base and WSP he was dead or not,” Diamond old, and had a second frightening Wiese, 18, of Cottage Grove, RI¿FHUVIURP2O\PSLD9DQFRX- said. But even after it became encounter with the Peninsula’s to visit. “Gene was the patrolman that and his friend Bob Leppaluo- ver and Chehalis combed the obvious why everyone had gath- unpredictable tides. While they everybody went to because he to of Vancouver, Wash., were beach. ered there, the couple’s pastor were exploring the area below had the most knowledge,” she swimming about 50 yards south A little before 5 p.m., Wi- never acknowledged the tragedy the Cape Disappointment Light- of First Street (now known as ese’s body washed ashore about that had brought him to her door. house known as “Dead Man’s explained. Bolstad Ave.), when Wiese was a quarter-mile south of where “The minister never said Cove,” a “sneaker wave” roared Unexpected phone call overcome by muscle cramps. they’d gone in. The foot patrols anything to me before, during in, seemingly out of nowhere. Tuesday, Sept. 3, 1957 was a As Leppaluoto struggled to continued searching into the or after. He just got up and left,” Had Dan not run like crazy, Di- very warm day and people had help his friend, sunbathers on the night and all the next day, to no Diamond remembered. “I don’t amond believes he would have ÀRFNHG WR WKH EHDFK WR VZLP shore took notice. A 21-year-old avail. Bolstad’s body was not think he knew what to say. That been swept away. “even though there was a bad Portland man named Dick Bau- recovered until Sunday, Sept. 8, was very strange.” While she “I had fried chicken in my riptide.” As the busy afternoon man charged into the water to when two visiting men from Eu- waited for her husband to come Tupperware and it went out to wore on, friends began dropping help Wiese. Though it was low gene happened upon it. ashore, family members came sea,” Diamond recalled. “You in on Barbara, unannounced. tide, the current was powerful, down from Tacoma to sit with never know when that wave is ‘As much as they “People kept coming over. and shortly, he was struggling her. The WSP also jumped into going to come up. The ocean is could do, they did.’ My friend came over and then too. Bauman’s father went in action, planning memorial ser- very dangerous.” Diamond can still vividly vices and a relief effort on Bar- They escaped safely, and a the minister came over,” Dia- after him and “barely saved his group of kids retrieved her con- mond said. “I didn’t think much son from the undertow.” A man recall the look on her husband’s bara’s behalf. about these people coming to my named Ben Sott joined the res- face as he waved goodbye to her “The Patrol was wonderful. tainer and purse. But she was house.” She made coffee and cue effort and helped pull Leppa- that morning. They had this big funeral,” Dia- never tempted to return. “I’m sure that he felt very mond said. “Police came from all “I never have really liked the chatted with her guests. Some luoto back to shore. distance away, she could hear A few moments later, an un- FRQ¿GHQWWKDWKHZRXOGQ¶WKDYH RYHU7KH\WRRNFDUHRIWKH¿QDQF- ocean anyway,” she laughed. For many years, Diamond airplanes droning overhead, but LGHQWL¿HG ZRPDQ VXPPRQHG any trouble saving this young es, helped me with everything. As she didn’t make much of that Gene Bolstad. Still wearing his man. I can just think that being much as they could do, they did.” avoided talking publicly about Bolstad’s death, wishing to focus either. uniform, the 30-year-old patrol- the person he was … that he Second chance at love on the present instead. But she Then, the phone rang. man went in after Wiese, a little never anticipated any trouble,” Diamond describes herself as says she’s recently come to enjoy Diamond said. “It was probably It was a newspaper report- after 2 p.m. er from Portland, who abruptly In the Observer’s account, a shock to him, as it was to me, lucky in love. After moving back sharing her unique story. to Tacoma, she slowly began to “It’s been a very interesting said, “I hear your husband has “Bolstad, it seemed, was about that he died.” Wiese and Bolstad were ac- make a new life for herself. She life,” Bolstad said. drowned!” Barbara denied it, to get Wiese back to safety when Research: High levels of domoic acid could persist in clams even into next year Continued from Page 1A of our active surveys to fo- cus research on a serious can accumulate the toxin, in concern for coastal commu- turn poisoning birds and sea nities and the seafood in- lions that feed on them. dustry,” said Eileen Sobeck, “This is unprecedented in assistant administrator for terms of the extent and mag- NOAA Fisheries. “The bet- nitude of this harmful algal ter we understand what’s bloom and the warm water happening out on the water, conditions we’re seeing off- the better we can address the shore,” said Vera Trainer, impacts.” manager of the Marine Mi- State agencies monitor crobes and Toxins Program at toxin levels closely and im- the Northwest Fisheries Sci- pose harvest closures where ence Center (NWFSC) in necessary to ensure that all Seattle. “Whether they’re re- commercial seafood remains lated we can’t really say yet, safe to eat. NOAA Fisheries but this survey gives us the and others are also develop- opportunity to put these piec- ing advanced robotic systems es together.” and models to better detect and forecast harmful algal Collecting information blooms. The NWFSC’s Marine Mi- The researchers aboard the crobes and Toxins Program Bell M. Shimada will collect is working closely with the samples of water, the micro- University of California San- scopic diatoms that produce ta Cruz, University of Wash- domoic acid and another ington, Quileute Nation and form of marine microorgan- Makah Tribe to add the scien- LVPFDOOHGGLQRÀDJHOODWHVWKDW tists to an already scheduled produce another type of toxin ¿VKHULHV VXUYH\ DERDUG WKH FDOOHG SDUDO\WLF VKHOO¿VK WR[- NOAA research ship Bell M. ins (PSTs) that have also been Shimada. GHWHFWHG LQ VRPH VKHOO¿VK “We’re taking advantage Domoic acid and PSTs are Fre e as Est F ima t t es ll Ca ime yt n A 503-440-2169 $ 1 6 M ilita ry Convenient and experienced stylists $ 1 6 Sen iors W ARRE NTO N 50 Reg. price $18.50 LICENSED BONDED INSURED CCB#179131 warned against consuming recreationally harvested mus- sels and clams, commercial- ly or recreationally caught anchovy and sardines, or the internal organs of commer- cially or recreationally caught crab taken from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. 2I¿FLDOV LQ 2UHJRQ KDYH KDOWHG DOO VKHOO¿VK KDUYHVW- ing from the Columbia River south to Tillamook Head and closed the entire state coastline to razor clamming because of elevated levels of domoic acid. High levels of PSTs have led to the closure of mussel harvest- ing along the Oregon Coast north of Gold Beach. All coastal Washington beaches have also been closed to razor clamming, at an estimated loss of more than $9 million in revenue for coastal communities in the last month alone. CULLABY LAKE June 20 and 21, 2015 • 10am - 6pm Lake will be closed to the public. Spectators welcome! Presented by: Columbia Outboard Racing Association Sanctioned by: American Power Boat Association Questions? Contact Mike Johnson at 503-381-8173 VOLUN T E E R PICK OF THE WEE K rs old $ 1 4 6 & yea un der T ues & T h urs Over 20 years local experience Hot spots Research during previous harmful algal blooms found “hot spots” of toxin-produc- ing organisms along the West Coast, Trainer said, and the survey will search for similar concentrations this year. The Ecology and Ocean- ography of Harmful Algal Blooms Research Program is completing a study of one such hot spot in California’s Monte- rey Bay and provides funding for UC Santa Cruz to analyze samples that will be collected during the survey. The results will help investigate con- nections between the current bloom and unusually warm ocean temperatures that have dominated the West Coast since last year, which may offer a preview of ocean con- ditions likely to become more common with climate change. &DOLIRUQLD RI¿FLDOV KDYH M en’s Cuts 65 • Residential • Commercial •Cedar Roof Treatments • Interior & Exterior Jeff Hale, Contractor UDUHO\IRXQGLQVKHOO¿VKDWWKH same time, but they have been this year. The scientists will also VDPSOH SODQNWRQIHHGLQJ ¿VK such as anchovies and sar- dines that concentrate the tox- ins and transfer them to other marine animals. Meanwhile, on the Long %HDFK 3HQLQVXOD VKHOO¿VK managers with Washington Fish and Wildlife are continu- ing to collect clam and crab samples for testing. They are also in the middle of an an- nual razor clam population DVVHVVPHQW &RDVWDO 6KHOO¿VK Manager Dan Ayres said he is encouraged with the high numbers of young clams he’s seen so far at this early stage of spawning. 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