Penny Butler said her brother-in-law, Marc Tomlinson’s, last moments were spent trying to save his wife.
Marc and his wife Jennifer were spending their Sunday afternoon as they did many days, out on the Tenn-Tom Waterway fishing in Marc’s 14-foot Jon boat. Marc in particular was an avid outdoorsman who, Butler said, “grew up on the river.”
But last Sunday a little before 5 p.m., something went wrong. The water was choppy, Butler said, and both Marc and Jennifer were thrown from the boat before it capsized near the Nashville Ferry landing on the waterway, close to the Alabama border.
“My sister was going under the water,” Butler said. “… When he realized they weren’t going to make it back to the boat, he pushed her. He told her to swim for the bank, that he wasn’t going to make it unless he got his boots off. And she swam. And she made it.
“He died making sure my sister was safe,” she added.
A ‘good ol’ country boy’
An auto body repairman who lived his life in the Golden Triangle, Marc Tomlinson, 44, was an outdoorsman who, when he wasn’t to be found fishing on the river or working on cars, could be found hunting, rock crawling or mud riding, according to his obituary. Butler described him as a “good ol’ country boy.”
Butler had known Marc about 10 years. Her sister Jennifer married him six years ago. Together, the couple had four boys — two from Marc’s previous marriage and two from Jennifer’s previous marriage — ranging in age from 11 to 21. Butler said Marc never treated his stepsons any differently than his own children.
“He loved them like his own,” she said.
That was in character according to what Butler said — that Marc was compassionate and would help anyone in need.
“He was just a good guy,” she said. “He would give anybody the shirt off his back if they needed it.”
A continuing investigation
On Sunday, after the boat capsized, a passing boat rescued Jennifer. Authorities from Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks arrived on the scene, assisted by first responders from Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Fire and Rescue, according to Lt. Chris Reed with MWFP.
“The vessel capsized when it was entering the main channel of the waterway, and we have not determined at this time whether it was just turbulent water, rough water, which caused it to capsize, or whether or not it struck an obstruction or something under the water (that) caused both of the occupants to be thrown out of the boat,” Reed said. “(Those are) the two theories we’re working with.”
Neither Marc nor Jennifer was wearing life preservers when the boat capsized, Butler said.
Investigators found Marc’s body lying on the riverbed using sonar imaging. Two divers brought his body up within about three hours after MWFP was called to the scene.
MWFP is still investigating the drowning.
Lowndes Funeral Home is handling the ceremony and burial for the Tomlinson family.
“We just want everybody to know that we loved him,” Butler said.
Every weekend, he was out on the river, she added, which is where almost all of her memories of Marc are from.
“That’s where he was happiest — with his family on the river, having a good time,” she said. “There are so many good memories out there, it’s hard to just pick one.”
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
