Flora, Wilbur John 1911-1980

FLORA, HALTER, BENSON, ALTEMEIER, HILL, RUBIN, VANSICE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 3/22/2014 at 17:20:42

Services Held for Wilbur Flora in Fla.

Wilbur John Flora, 68, who had been a resident of Pinnellas Park, Florida since February 1, 1974, died Thursday evening, April 17, 1980 at the Bayfront Medical Center, St. Petersburg, Florida.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, Pinnellas Park, Florida. The Rev. Robert B. Chapman conducted the services. Burial was in the Eternal Light Cemetery, St. Petersburg, Florida.

Wilbur John Flora, the son of Charles Wesley Flora and Rosa Halter Flora, was born on May 10, 1911, in Eden Township, Marshall County, Iowa on the family farm purchased by his grandfather, Jacob Flora, in 1870.

He was graduated from Baxter High School in May, 1929. Upon the death of his father in January, 1930, Wilbur took over the management of the family farm for his mother, sister and brothers.

On February 14, 1942, he was united in marriage with Eleanor Maxine Benson at the Earlham, Iowa Methodist Church.

Transcriber note: The following three paragraphs, I will transcribe all the words as it is. Part of the page is torn off.

March 2, 1942 Wilbur was inducted into the Army, serving as an with the Air command, help- planes to all except Australia discharge on 1, 1945. Two daughters Ann and were born his, Tennessee war.

Wilbur’s dis the family moved to the family farm, which they purchased from his mother.

A son, Edward Charles was born in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1948.

In addition to farming, he owned the Baxter Grain and Coal Company with his brother, Charles Flora, and his brother-in-law, Clare Altemeier, for many years.

While in the Baxter area he was a member of the Baxter Congregational Church where he served as a trustee. For eleven years he was a member of the Baxter Community School Board, serving two years as the president. He was a member of the National Farmers Organization and held membership in the Baxter, Iowa Unit Lodge No. 520, A.F. & A.M.

Upon retiring from the farm in January, 1973, the Floras lived on year in Smyrna, Georgia. On February 1, 1974, they moved to Mainland Unit III in Pinellas Park, Florida and transferred their church membership to The First United Methodist Church in Pinellas Park. Wilbur was a member of the Mainlands Lions Club and served on the Mainlands Unit Three Homeowners Board until his illness.

He was preceded in death by a younger brother, Roy, his father, mother and his oldest brother, Glen.

Survivors include his wife, Eleanor; two daughters, Julie Hill, Seminole, Florida and Suzanne Rubin, Atlanta, Georgia; a son, Edward, Rhodes, Iowa, two sons-in-law, Robert T. Hill, III and S. Richard Rubin; a daughter-in-law, Jan Flora; five grandchildren, Robbie and Allison Hill, Amy and Daniel Rubin and Kristopher Flora; three brothers, Alfred Flora, Rhodes, Iowa, Charles Flora, Estes Park, Colorado and Ray Flora, Baxter, Iowa; a sister, Katherine Altemeier, Newton, Iowa; five sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

During the last month and a half of his life, he enjoyed visiting with all of his immediate family and his brother, Ray and his brother, Charles and a family Friend, Charles Vansice. His sister, Katherine and Brother-in-law, Clare Altemeier, came to be with the family for the funeral. ~ The Jasper County Tribune, Colfax, Iowa Thurs 1 May 1980.