The body of a 49-year-old Portland woman who drowned last weekend in the Willamette River was recovered Wednesday morning, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Naomi Pomeroy had been floating the river Saturday with two others on tubes and a paddle board that had been secured together. A BCSO investigation determined that the group got caught on an exposed snag in the water and the victim was pulled under and held by the paddle board leash.
Multiple media outlets, including this story published by CNN, called Pomeroy a renowned Portland chef who gained national fame on the TV reality series, “Top Chef Masters.”
The victim’s body was spotted by people canoeing on the river about a half-mile upstream of Hyak Park between Corvallis and Albany. Responding to a report of the discovery, BCSO marine deputies found the woman’s body on a shallow section of bedrock near the middle of the river in 1 to 2 feet of water.
“Naomi was not just a fabulous chef and entrepreneur, but an amazing human being,” U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) said in a statement published earlier this week. “Her impact went far beyond Portland, helping establish our leadership and reputation for food excellence. She will be greatly missed.”
Pomeroy’s body was released to a funeral home and the family was notified of the recovery, BCSO said.