Lela Fern Ferguson Sawyer 1889-1952

SAWYER, FERGUSON, SHIRLEY, STRAIT, BAIN, THOMAS, HARGER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 5/7/2011 at 00:22:23

Mrs. Ferne Sawyer, 63, Dies of Cancer
Mrs. Lela Fern Sawyer, 63, died at 11:40 p.m. yesterday at Holy Family hospital following a year long illness with cancer.

Mrs. Sawyer was born Sept. 30, 1889, in Urbana and attended the public schools there. She was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Ferguson. In 1905 she married Spencer Alva Sawyer in Urbana and the couple farmed until 1924 in Benton county. The couple moved to Emmet county where they continued to farm until 1944 when Mr. Sawyer retired and moved to 820 North Fifth street. Mr. Sawyer died there in 1946.

Also preceding her in death are an infant son, Calvin Pearl; an infant daughter, Arzelia Florine; her parents, two infant granddaughters, Marian Ruth and Florine Sawyer and a sister.

Surviving are six children, Harold Carl Sawyer, Mrs. Edward (Lela Belle) Shirley and Willard Alva Sawyer, all of Estherville; J. D. Sawyer of Claremont, Minn.; Caroll Don of Spirit Lake; and Verdae Sawyer, a senior student at Drake university. Also surviving are nine brothers and sisters, C. D. Ferguson, Leslie Ferguson and Mrs. Wright Strait, all of Vinton; Mrs. Clarence Ferguson and M. I. Ferguson, both of Urbana; Mrs. W. W. Bain of Brandon; Mr. Z. M. Thomas of Des Moines and Mrs. Gladys Harger of Moline, Ill.

Surviving grandchildren are Harold Merle and Verle Romaine Sawyer; Jack Edwards and JoAnn Shirley; Judy Kay, Jonna Beth, James Alva and Janine Sawyer; and Connie Carol, Viki and Calvin Sawyer. Two great grandchildren, Sheila and Jacquilyn Sawyer, also survive.

A private burial service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Sandin funeral home and a public memorial service at 2 p.m. in the Christian church of which she was a member. The Rev. Fred. D. Sawyer, a brother-in-law of the late Mrs. Sawyer, will officiate with the Rev. Clyde C. Leeds assisting. A memorial fund is being created for the late Mrs. Sawyer.

The body will lie in state at the Sandin funeral home after 10 a.m. tomorrow. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, October 14, 1952)