Ralph Sawyer 1897-1952

SAWYER, GERBER, BILLICK, BRITCHER, DAVIS

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 7/23/2016 at 21:23:57

17 April, 1952 - The Tipton Advertiser

Mr. Ralph Sawyer of the Clarence community, highly esteemed by a host of friends and neighbors, passed away at 2:00 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, April 16th, at the Veterans Hospital, Iowa City, after a brief illness of three days.

Immediate survivors include his wife, Eleanor, two daughters, Mrs. Kathryn Gerber of Tipton, and Mrs. Barbara Billick of the West Branch community; one son, James of Clarence, his father C. W. Sawyer, and one brother Elmer also of Clarence.

The Chapman funeral home at Clarence is in charge of arrangements and the funeral plans are not announced as we go to press.

24 April 1952 - The Tipton Advertiser

Funeral services were conducted Friday afternoon for Ralph Emerson Sawyer, 55, at the family home and in the Methodist church with Rev. A. D. Holtry officiating.

Ralph Sawyer was born on Feb. 17, 1897, near Clarence, and died April 16, 1952, at Veterans hospital in Iowa City following an illness of a few days. He was the son of Calvin G. Sawyer and the late Anna Britcher Sawyer.

On June 18, 1919, he married Eleanor Davis in Aberdeen, S.D., and they established their home on the farm southwest of Clarence, where they still lived at the time of his death. They became the parents of one son James, two daughters, Kathryn, now Mrs. Roger Gerber of Tipton, and Barbara, now Mrs. Charles Billick, near West Branch, who, with their families, survive him. Beside his wife, he is also survived by his father, C. G. Sawyer, a brother Elmer and seven grandchildren.

He was a member of the Methodist church, Mt. Hope Lodge A.F. & A. M., the Order of Eastern Star, Victory Post No. 286, American Legion and Bethlehem Shrine. Masonic rites were conducted at the church by Chauncey Butler of Mechanicsville. Burial was in the Clarence cemetery with military honors at the grave in charge of Victory Post.

Serving as pallbearers were A. J. Pruess, L. D. Kelly, Paul Busching, Hy Von Muenster, E. C. Schluter and G. H. Penningroth.

In charge of floral memorials were Mrs. Schluter, Mrs. Von Muenster, Mrs. Kelly and Mrs. Lois Brink.