SLEEZER, Charles

SLEEZER, MCGAFFIN, MADDOX

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 3/13/2004 at 15:08:08

Obituary for Charles Sleezer-dated Jan. 16, 1942 –source, probably the Cherokee Times (courtesy of Fern Sleezer)

Charles Sleezer, 88, County Pioneer, Taken By Death

Charles Sleezer, 88, pioneer of Cherokee county, died at 11 a.m., Friday at his home, 117 East Cherry Street. He had been in poor health for the past few months.

Funeral services are pending. The body is at Duven’s Funeral home here.

Sleezer had spent 68 years of his life in Cherokee county. He lived with his two daughters, Mrs. Joe McGaffin and Mrs. William Maddox.

Sleezer was born April 10, 1853, in Illinois* and came to this state in 1878. He arrived in Cherokee on his 20th birthday.

He has lived in this county continuously since that time, working on numerous farms in the vicinity. For the past 45 years he had made his home in town. He was a widower, Mrs. Sleezer having died nine years ago. They were married in 1882. The couple had five children-Roy and Louis Sleezer, Mrs. Joe McGaffin, Mrs. Maddox and Mrs. F.J. McGaffin, all living here.

Until about eight year ago, Sleezer worked at the trade of cement mason. With the E.L. Halford, he helped build many of the fine homes in the city.

He was a member of the first Cherokee volunteer fire department and at one time serves for several year as city street commissioner.

Sleezer for more than a quarter of a century was a steady reader of The Times, reading it thoroughly every day and without the aid of glasses in his later years.

His daughter, Mrs. F.J. McGaffin, was local reporter on Cherokee Times thirty years ago when that publication was a weekly and Thomas McCulla was editor.

*Note: This is incorrect. Charles was born in New York State and moved to Illinois at a young age.