Welcome 'Zeke' Abbott 1865-1946

ABBOTT, KLONUS, APPELBY, RYAN

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 3/2/2008 at 00:13:24

Lamont (Special) - Death came to Welcome Abbott at St. Francis Hospital, Waterloo, January 12th. Failing health was not unknown to Mr. Abbott, as he was not well since 1942. Welcome, familiarly known as "Zeke" was the son of a Baptist minister, the Rev. A.D. Abbott. His birthplace was Reading, Mich. The birth date was October 28, 1865. As a youth he worked in the H.C. Smith Drug store in Manchester, and later opened his own store under the name of Storey and Abbott, in the year 1893. Seven years later the Manchester and Oneida Railroad offered him the position as their first conductor. In the year 1906 he was operating a drug store in Lamont, which he later sold to take the job as custodian of the Backbone State Park, which position he retained until ill health forced him to resign in the summer of 1942.

Mr. Abbott was married to Miss Matilda Klonus of Manchester on January 31, 1894. She passed away January 5, 1939, from injuries suffered in an auto accident, in which Mr. Abbott was also injured. Their two sons, D.A. Abbott of Chicago and W.F. Abbott of St. Louis, are the sole close survivors. His grandchildren, Mrs. Glen Appelby of Omaha, Mrs. William Ryan of Evanston, and James F. Abbott of Kansas City, also survive. Funeral services were held from St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lamont. The choir under the direction of Mrs. Hubert Reiger, sang the High Mass of Requiem, with Pie Jesu at the Offertory, and the Sanctus Benedictus and Agnus Dei from the mass of St. Aloysious. "Jesus the Sweetest Joy and All" was sung after mass, followed later by "Beautiful Heaven" and "I'm Safe in the Arms of Jesus". The casket bearers: John Ehler, Charles Wilson, Clifford Smith, Charles Hayford, Ben Kotek and Francis Vertugt. Burial was at St. Mary's cemetery, Manchester, Iowa.

~Oelwein Daily Register; January 25, 1946