Courtesy Idaho Public Television

Bill Studebaker, 61 died in a kayaking accident Friday in Valley County.

BOISE - The body of an Idaho poet was found in the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River Monday afternoon.

Bill Studebaker, 61, was last seen Friday floating down the river near Yellow Pine when he hit a class five rapid which caused his kayak to roll.

The Valley County Sheriff's Office said his body has been located, and the McCall Dive Team will pull it from the river.

Studebaker's friend Rod Burks was kayaking with him when the accident happened.

"Then there was a series of rocks and ledges after that that every time he rolled up he hit another one, and it caused him to flip and it was just a series of I think they counted seven,” Burks said. “At that stage he is probably really tired.”

Burks tried to rescue Studebaker but was unable to reach him.

He's the author of about a dozen books of poetry and non-fiction, including "Short of a Good Promise," a 1999 reminiscence of growing up in the remote Idaho backcountry following World War II.

Family and friends of Studebaket will hold a public memorial service for him from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the College of Southern Idaho this Saturday, July 12th. It will be in the Rick Allen Community Room at the Herrett Center for Arts and Science.

Instead of flowers, the family invites memorial attendees to bring a rock of their choice to honor him. Those rocks will be added to the landscaping at the Herrett Center.