Stillwater Area High School Grad Dies in an Underwater Welding Accident in North Dakota

A graduate and former standout athlete died last week in an underwater welding accident in North Dakota.

Joseph Patrick Gordon Gould, 32, drowned in Lake Sakakawea on Oct. 19 when he was making repairs to the city of Parshall’s water intake structure, according to The Bismark Tribune.

Gould was a 1997 graduate of Stillwater Area High School, where he was a state-ranked wrestler and standout football player. After graduating from Stillwater Area High School, he went on to wrestle for the U.S. Marine Corps.

The McLean County Sheriff's Office told the Associated Press that Gould had been installing pipe 125 feet below the surface of the lake when his equipment became tangled and he was trapped.

The McLean County Sheriff's Office reported that the usual communication system failed and his surface support was alerted to trouble when Gould tugged on his lines. A coworker dove down to try to free him, but was unsuccessful.

According to The Bismark Tribune, Gould was an experienced underwater welder who worked for Midco Diving Co. of Rapid City, South Dakota.

The accident remains under investigation by the McLean County Sheriff’s Office and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Visitation: Tuesday, Oct. 25 from 5-8 p.m. at Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel

Funeral Service: Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. at

Interment: Fort Snelling National Cemetery.