MESSER, Elva Howard, 1891-1970

MESSER, SMITH, LYON, DAHL, BENELL, MORAN, LODER, LYON

Posted By: Betty Hootman (email)
Date: 2/23/2012 at 16:28:05

Washington (IA) Evening Journal

Funeral services for E. H. Messer, long-time resident of Washington, were held at 2 p.m. today in the Jones Funeral Home with Rev. Richard Peterson in charge. Burial was in Elm Grove Cemetery.

Mr. Messer, 78, lived at 528 West Madison Street. He died in Mercy Hospital at Iowa City Saturday, January 3, 1970, after having been seriously ill for the past month.

Elva Howard Messer was born Aug. 12, 1891, in Henry County, a son of Calvin and Elizabeth Smith Messer. He was reared in Henry County and married Feb. 9, 1940 to Clara Belle Lyon. In his early years he was employed by the Railway Express Agency, but had retired in 1958 after 37 years as an employee of Iowa Southern Utilities, Co.

He was a member of the Baptist church.

Surviving are his wife; four children: Mrs. W. T. (Edna) Dahl of Des Moines, Lester M. Messer of Wapello, Mrs. Donald (Ruth) Benell of Hedrick and Donald M. Messer of Concord, Calif.; nine grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are three sisters: Mrs. Earl Moran and Mrs. C. J. Loder of Washington, and Mrs. Peter Lyon of Mt. Pleasant.