REECE, Gwendolyn 1917-1965

REECE, BELZ

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/25/2015 at 06:53:17

Conrad Woman Loses Life When Fire Destroys Home

Mrs. Delmer C. Reece, 47, the former Gwendolyn Belz, died Saturday morning in a fire that destroyed her home at Conrad.

Private services for Mrs. Reece were held at 2 p.m. Monday at the Johnston Funeral Home at Conrad, with Rev. R. O. Grote of the Conrad Methodist church officiating. Burial was in the Conrad cemetery.

The fatal fire was discovered at 6:30 a.m. Saturday by Michael Damon, 14, who delivered the morning paper to the Reece home when he noticed the interior of the residence filled with smoke and flames.

Conrad firemen fought the fire for 45 minutes before they could enter the house. Mrs. Reece's body was found beside a bed in a downstairs bedroom.

Dr. Glendon Button of Conrad said Mrs. Reece died of smoke inhalation.

The house continued to smolder for four hours after the first alarm was sounded, then flames broke out through the upstairs walls and roof. It was several hours before the fire was finally brought under control. The house was a total loss.

The State Fire Marshal's office was called in to investigate the cause of the fire. Although no official statement has been given, it is reported the fire was caused by an overheated furnace.

Mrs. Reece lived alone in the two-story residence at the north end of Conrad's main street ever since the separation from her husband several weeks ago.

Only a few days before her death Mrs. Reece had returned from a visit with the couple's daughter, Mrs. Nicholas Welter, of Denver, Colorado.

Gwendolyn Ione Belz was born September 19, 1917, in Conrad, the daughter of Raymond and Jessie Belz. She spent her childhood in that community. She was a member of the Methodist church.

On February 5, 1937, she was united in marriage to Delmer C. Reece. The couple continued to reside at Conrad where they operated a sundries store. She also operated a beauty shop there for a number of years.

Survivors include her husband, of Conrad; one daughter, Jeri, Mrs. Nicholas Welter; two grandchildren, Carrie and Nicholas; her mother, Mrs. Raymond A. Belz of Walker; a brother, Max Belz, also of Walker; and a sister, Velma, Mrs. Glen Peters, of Evergreen, Colorado.

Casketbearers at Monday's service were Jerry Friday, Marvin Cohen, Truman Cooper, Robert Rolston, Stanley Grimes and Bud Dickkut. Flower attendants were Mrs. Richard Geise and Mrs. Paul Simms.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 14 January 1965, pg 1