Williams, Clarence Elda (1892-1945)

WILLIAMS, CARLSON, COATS, BLOUNT, PUMMILL, NEAL, MCKINNON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:00

LAST RITES FOR C.E. WILLIAMS, STANHOPE, HELD YESTERDAY

Clarence E. Williams, 52, C. & N.W. agent at Stanhope the past 18 years, died Sunday evening at the county hospital. the cause of his death was a heart attack.

Surviving are his wife and three daughters: Mrs. Wendell Carlson of Stanhope, Mrs. Clark Coats of Stratford and Mrs. David Blount of Sioux City.

Last rites were held yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Stanhope Methodist church following a service at 1:30 o'clock at the home with the Rev. Cyril Ashton in charge. Interment was in the South Marion Cemetery, southeast of Stratford.

The local Masonic lodge, of which deceased was a member, had charge of a portion of the funeral services.

Webster City Freeman
February 22, 1945

OBITUARY
Clarence E. Williams

Clarence E. Williams was born in Pulaski county, Mo., on April 16, 1892, to John and Anna [McKinnon] Williams. He died Sunday night at the Hamilton county hospital at Webster City, Feb. 11, 1945. He was married to Cora Pummill Oct. 29, 1911. To this union were born three daughters, Mrs. Ruth Carlson, Mrs. Clarice Coats, both of Stanhope, and Mrs. Dorothy Blount of Sioux City, and one son, Herbert who died in infancy. Beside these, he leaves to mourn his death, his mother, Mrs. John Williams of Crocker, Mo., three brothers, Cliff of Crocker, Mo.; Phillip of Jefferson City, Mo.; and Virgil of Dixon, Mo.; two sisters, Mrs. Arthur Pummill and Mrs. Herbert Neal, both of Crocker, Mo., four grandchildren, Catherine Lee Carlson, Arvel, Stephen and Mark Coats.

Mr. Williams attended the Chillicothe Business school at Chillicothe, Mo., where he learned telegraphy. In 1912 he came with his bride of a few months to Wall Lake, Iowa, to accept there the position of station agent. In 1927, he came to Stanhope, to fill the same position here, where he worked until a few weeks before his death.

He united with the Methodist church about 22 years ago. To this he gave untiring devotion. Few men have done more for the church than he. His life manifested the spirit of the hymn, which he could have sung with full expression, "I love thy Church, O God, Her walls before thee stand, Dear as the apple of thine eye, And graven on Thy land."

He was also a member of the Acorn Lodge No. 601 of Freemasons at Stratford, having achieved the mark of being a royal arch Mason. He was a member of the Eastern Star, and of the Modern Woodmen of America. He was the chairman of the Order of the Railroad Telegraphers of the Sioux City division of the Chicago, Northwestern Railroad, a position to which he was reelected unanimously as he lay critically ill in the hospital.

These are but cold facts of a life that was lived so richly. They do not tell the story of his life. His life is his own eulogy. To know him was to have a friend. He was the kind of citizen that made his community to live in.

The funeral service was held at the Stanhope church Wednesday, Feb. 14, by his pastor, the Rev. Cyril Ashton, and the Masonic lodge of Stratford. Then he was laid to rest in the quiet surroundings of the South Marion cemetery. Foster of Webster City was the undertaker.

- Contributed.