A Vicksburg mother and grandmother on a fishing outing with her family died Sunday afternoon, apparently from drowning after she fell into a private pond.

Ernestine Queen, 55, 92 Irene St., was found in about 18 inches of water near a 4-foot drop from the bank of the pond owned by Richard George in the 6100 block of Fisher Ferry Road, Sheriff Martin Pace said. George is president of the Warren County Board of Supervisors.

“Initial reports: She had been with several family members,” he said. “They were fishing in various locations. She had not been fishing.”

Queen’s daughter, Stacey O’Quinn of Byram, said her mother had been sitting while her husband, two daughters and two grandsons fished. Queen didn’t like to fish, O’Quinn said.

She said about 15 minutes had passed between the time she last saw her mother sitting in the pickup and when they found her in the water.

Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey said deputies were on the scene and Queen’s body had been taken out of the water when he arrived.

He said he pronounced Queen dead around 4 p.m. of an apparent drowning but ordered an autopsy. Pace said he and other investigators could not be sure Queen fell into the water, but no signs of trauma or foul play were found.

O’Quinn described her mother as a woman who loved playing with her grandsons, Bryson O’Quinn, 5, and Ronnie Blossom III, 3.

“The loves of her life were her two grandchildren,” said O’Quinn, adding she even played baseball with them.

Queen’s husband, Alexander Queen, was an employee of the Warren County Road Department about 20 years ago, George said, adding he’d known the family at least that long.

He’s allowed friends and others to fish on his 250-acre plus spread of property off Fisher Ferry Road for several years — so long as they come in “limited numbers.”

“I built that place in 1973 or so,” said George, who has been president of the board for eight of his 14 years representing District 5. “In all the years, it’s the only incident I’ve ever had.”

In addition to O’Quinn, her husband and grandchildren, Queen is survived by another daughter, April Johnson of Byram; her mother, Lucille Bracey of Vicksburg, a brother in Illinois and three sisters.

Jefferson Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

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Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com