John C. Lilley 1874-1950

LILLEY, DIMM, MACK, OBRIEN, BRUBAKER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/24/2010 at 22:38:53

John Lilley Drops Dead
John Lilley, former mayor and former police chief of Estherville, dropped dead this afternoon at the K.P. Hall. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, May 19, 1950)

Services for John Lilley on Monday

John C. Lilley, 74-year-old former Estherville city police chief, mayor and councilman, died yesterday at 3 p.m. when he suffered a heart attack in Knights of Pythias hall while he was helping remove some garbage from the lodge rooms.

Lilley, a member, had called John Fenrich, city garbage collector, to come to the K.P. hall and take out some garbage which was ready for disposal. Fenrich said he arrived at the hall between 2 and 3 p.m. Lilley started handing Fenrich some boxes from a side room. Fenrich said he heard a noise from the room, looked in and saw Lilley lying on the floor. He summoned a physician who pronounced Lilley dead.

The deceased had suffered a heart attack about a year ago, but had not been in ill health, relatives said.

He was born Jan. 28, 1876 [cemetery records say 1874], in Aurora, Ill., and received his education there. He came to Emmet county in 1903, and farmed near Estherville at first, then moved to town.

He first became city councilman at large on April 1, 1919, for a two year term, and was elected mayor in April 1, 1921, serving six years until April 1, 1927.

Lilley later was appointed to the city police force on April 27, 1932, upon resignation of chief Thomas Nivison and was confirmed as chief June 7, 1932, which post he held until April 1, 1946.

He was a member of the Estherville Knights of Pythias lodge and a member of Kiwanis club.

Survivors include his wife, the former Myrtle Dimm of Thompstown, Pa., whom he married in 1942; three brothers, Samuel Lilley and Ray Lilley of Aurora; and Dan Lilley of Denver; and three sisters, Mrs. Carrie Mack, Mary Lilley and Mrs. Margaret O’Brien of Aurora, and a brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Brubaker of Estherville.

He was preceded in death by his first wife about 20 years ago.

Services will be held Monday at 2:30 p.m. in Sandin funeral home, with Knights of Pythias in charge and the Rev. Frielle E. Conaway officiating. Burial will be at Oak Hill cemetery. The family has requested that no flowers be sent.

Friends who wish to pay their last respects may call anytime at Sandin Funeral home. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, May 20, 1950)