WYATT L. Alvah 1890-1952

WYATT, LOCKE, LATTIMER, ROOKS

Posted By: Marilyn O'Connor (email)
Date: 12/13/2010 at 12:25:50

ALVAH WYATT,
RETIRED CARRIER
DIES IN SLEEP

Funeral Services Held
Wednesday Afternoon
for Long-Time Resident

Alvah L. Wyatt, 62, was found dead Monday morning, Oct. 19, by his sister, Miss Gertrude Wyatt. Miss Wyatt had gone to his room to investigate about 8 a.m. when her brother failed to respond to a call to breakfast. His death, attributed to a heart attack, was thought to have occured shortly after midnight.

Mr. Wyatt, who had retired last July 1 after 36 years as rural mail carrier on route 1 out of Nora Springs, had been in his usual health. With Derald Hoel, carrier on route 2, he had gone to Traer Saturday to attend a rural carrier's meeting. Mr. Wyatt had returned to Nora Springs Sunday evening.

Born November 27, 1890, at Waucoma, he was a son of James W. and Flora Locke Wyatt. The family moved here in the spring of 1893, and he had lived in this community ever since that time. The family first lived on a farm two and a half miles northwest of Nora Springs, and in 1908 moved to a farm at Rock Grove. In 1919 J. W. Wyatt bought his present home in Nora Springs and the family moved to town.

Alvah was graduated from both the classical and scientific courses of study at the Nora Springs seminary. He also attended the state university at Iowa City.

He began his work as rural carrier on route 1 on July 2, 1917, and carried the mail to rural patrons on that same route for 36 years, retiring only a little over three months ago. He served under the postmasterships of Joe Baughey, Bertha Buckmann Frudden, Clarence Stoner, W. H. Lucas, Irene Strassman McNamara, Mildred Drake and Lloyd G. Andersen.

He was married to Adelaide Lattimer of Winnebago, Minnesota, at the Little Brown Church at Nashua on August 28, 1933. Mrs. Wyatt is now teaching at Omak, Washington. The Washington apple harvest having given students in that state a vacation from classes, Mrs. Wyatt is currently on a tour of southern California and could not be reached with word of her husband's death.

A long-time member of national, state and county rural carrier's associations, Mr. Wyatt had attended the national convention in Chicago the past summer, shortly after his retirement.

He is survived by his father, J. W. Wyatt, age 95; two sisters, Mrs. Bert S. (Ruth) Rooks and Miss Gertrude Wyatt, both of Nora Springs; and one brother, Roy Wyatt of St. Paul,Minn.; as well as his wife.

His mother died on October 10, 1946.

The Rev. J. Ellis Webb, pastor of the Methodist church, officiated at funeral services at that church on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 21, at 2 o'clock. Interment was in Spring Grove cemetery.
Casket bearers were L. G. Andersen, Derald Hoel, Elgar Smith, Glen Gast, Virgil Gast and Alvin Christiansen. Mrs. Webb was the vocalist, accompanied by Mrs. K. S. Shanks. The floral gifts were arranged in the church by Mrs. W. W. Chestnut and Mrs. C. C. Stoner.

Nora Springs business places were closed Wednesday afternoon for the rites for Mr. Wyatt. The Sheckler funeral home was in charge of arrangements.

(1953)