National

'We'll miss them tremendously': St. Louis couple who died in duck boat tragedy remembered by friends

BRANSON, Mo. – Christie Herpers knew something was wrong when her two friends didn't pick up the phone when she called Friday.

It was unlike them. Their phones were always on. She talked to them every day.

When Herpers called the hotel her friends were staying at, the hotel led the woman to believe they were fine.

It wasn't until later in the day when Herpers learned her friends – William Asher, 69, and Rosemarie Hamann, 68 – were among the 17 killed during the capsizing of a duck boat in Branson.

"Their lives were full," Herpers said with a smile.

Herpers and her boyfriend, Russ McKay, drove from St. Louis to Branson on Friday afternoon not knowing there would be a vigil. They only knew they wanted to be there for their lost friends.

The couple worked with their friends at the Sgt. Ron Bozikis Memorial Organization. The four were on the board together. Hamann served as the treasurer and a "wonderful" cook.

With fundraisers for their organization planned in the near future, Herpers choked up at the thought of her friends not being there.

She said the word nightmare "doesn't even touch it. We're losing great people. But you have to go positive because they're together."

The couple was in Branson to celebrate Hamann's recent birthday.

McKay said he was spending Saturday placing a flower and candles in the water of the lake to send his friends off.

McKay is avoiding watching the news or looking at social media because he doesn't want to visualize what happened to his friends.

But when he saw the flowers at the vigil Friday night, he said he knew God was with him.

"My heart was broken. As I look around at all these people ..." McKay stopped, just nodding his head.

McKay talked of his close relationship with Hamann. He said after Asher's first performance as a DJ for his organization, he made Asher the director of entertainment.

Herpers won't forget Asher.

"Bill was a good-hearted man," Herpers said. "He never had any ill words for anyone."

Herpers will miss watching the couple dance. Herpers said Asher was one of the best DJ's ever. Hamann spent time as a professional dancer.

Hamann was also a talented cook, Herpers said.

Herpers was handed a cross necklace by a stranger Friday night at the vigil when a woman noticed her grieving. A woman told her two daughters to fetch a Bible and had them present it to McKay.

"We'll miss them tremendously," Herpers said. "For the rest of our days."