McCLEARY, Arch Benjamin 1909-1951

MCCLEARY, SUTHERLIN, FARMER, ZILLMAN, ANDERSON, HOWE, GIBSON

Posted By: Betty Hootman (email)
Date: 11/18/2011 at 17:57:11

Fairfield (IA) Daily Ledger
Front page
Monday, 29 January 1951

FIND VETERAN DEAD IN MOVIE THEATER SEAT

A World War II veteran was found dead in his seat at the Rex theater when the house manager made preparations to close up the building late Saturday night.

McCLEARY entered the theater earlier in the evening. After the show was completed, John Wood, house manager, made his routine check of the building and noticed someone still occupying a seat.

Believing it was someone who had fallen asleep, Wood tried to arouse the stricken man. It wasn't until that time that he realized the man was dead.

The county coroner and police were called, and coroner Jack Raymond said he died of a heart attack. He estimated the time of death as 8:50 p.m. There will be no inquest, he said.

Last rites were held this afternoon at the Hoskins funeral home with Dr. C. R. Douglas in charge. Burial was in the McCLEARY cemetery southwest of Fairfield.

Arch Benjamin McCLEARY was born March 20, 1909, in Jefferson county near Libertyville, the son of the late A. B. C. and Anna SUTHERLIN McCLEARY. He was reared and educated in Jefferson county and never married.

He served in the South Pacific theater of operations during World War II and following his discharge had been employed at Iowa Malleable Iron company for the past two and a half years.

McCLEARY is survived by six sisters, Mrs. George FARMER, Fairfield; Mrs. Lou FARMER, Hannibal, Missouri; Mrs. George ZILLMAN and Mrs. Raymond ANDERSON, Fairfield; Mrs. Milo HOWE, Montebello, California; and Dulcena McCLEARY, Fairfield. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Mrs. Lela GIBSON, and one brother, John W. McCLEARY.

Transcribed for genealogy purposes, I am relation to this family.