BOOKER, Alice Blair 1862 - 1928

BOOKER, BLAIR, JUNKIN, SMITH

Posted By: Richard K. Thompson (email)
Date: 4/15/2012 at 12:48:30

Fairfield Daily Ledger
Monday September 24, 1928
Pg. 1 Col. 1

MRS. H. F. BOOKER DIED SUDDNLY; WAS LONG ILL
End Came Suddenly To Prominent Fairfield Woman - Funeral Services Tomorrow

Mrs. Harry F. BOOKER died yesterday afternoon at 3:40 oclock in her apartments (sic.) at the Leggett Hotel. Death came very quietly and peacefully, but very suddenly. She had been confined to her room for several weeks, but was slowly improving and yesterday was feeling better than at any time in more than two months. Shortly after dinner she felt a little sick, but recovered quickly. A little later she again spoke of feeling bad and the doctor was summoned and arrived in a few minutes, but her heart had ceased to beat and efforts to revive her were unavailing. With her at the time of her death were her sisters, Mrs. C. M. JUNKIN and Mrs. E. R. SMITH, and her niece, Maryalyce SMITH.

Early in July while on a motor trip to Des Moines Mrs. BOOKER was seized with a severe attack of rheumatism and she had been confined to her room either at the hospital or at the hotel since that time. She suffered terribly, but was making slow but satisfactory progress towards recovery and there was no thought of a fatal termination in the minds of her relatives and friends. Her death was a great shock to them and to the entire community which had been her home for so many years and in which she was so universally loved and respected.

Born In Columbus

Mrs. BOOKER was born in Columbus, Ohio, April 8, 1862, her parents being Dr. and Mrs. George H. BLAIR. She came to Fairfield with her parents in 1870 and this has been her home ever since. Dr. BLAIR practiced medicine in Fairfield until his death. Mrs. BLAIR surviving him and passing away in 1918. She was married to Harry F. BOOKER June 28, 1883 and one son was born to them and died in infancy. Mr. BOOKER died in 1899.

While her circle of friends was very large and included people of all ages it was among the young people that her influence was most strongly felt. She had a gift for the training of young people in oratory and debate and in dramatics and she gave this gift freely for the benefit of the community and of the boys and girls who came to her. She started this work among the students of the public schools and of Parsons College and worked hard and effectively for many years with no compensation except the satisfaction of good work well done. Later she took up the work more seriously and put on plays in many other cities and her contracts (sic. contacts ??) in other communities were very numerous and her influence strong and helpful with the young people with whom she worked.

Friend of the Young

Mrs. BOOKER was a woman of charm and personality with a warm and constant interest in the people with whom she came in contact and a gift for forming friendships among them. Active in the social life of her home town she was constantly called upon for help in many lines of activity and she always responded cheerfully. She will be missed as few of the citizens of Fairfield would be missed and there is sorrow in many hearts with her passing.

Mrs. BOOKER was a member of the Congregational church in this city and later of the Presbyterian church. Her social activities included membership in the Shakespeare club, the Wit and Wisdom club, the Woman's club, the Pythian Sisters and other organizations. She had been very active and helpful in the Chautauqua (sic. a summer series of concerts, speeches, and other activities held at Chautauqua Park in Fairfield, Iowa for many years) and also in the work of the county fair and in the state fair.

The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 oclock from the E. R. SMITH home 206 South Main street.

* Transcribed for genealogy purposes. I am not (directly) related to the person(s) mentioned.

===================================

Added by Admin, July 2020 --

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Monday, September 24, 1928
Page FOUR, Column 1

MRS. BOOKER

Fairfield suffers a distinct loss in the death of Mrs. Harry F. BOOKER, and many is the person, old and young, who today feels that a personal and understanding friend has gone.

Her whole life was spent in this community and she grew up in it to a position of large and helpful influence without in any way becoming a professional or official personage. Hers was the force of sheer and powerful personality. She was energetic and dominant without being wearying or domineering. She won rather than commanded, and held a remarkable sway over people because she was liked and had their confidence.

Perhaps most prominent among her characteristics was her love of beauty. She exulted in her dramatic work in producing lovely scenes, where color and grace abounded and there was rhythm and cadence and poetic motion. Fairfield and other southern Iowa towns have been stirred time and time again by the special scenes and acts she has introduced into plays under her direction, and year by year she sought for beautiful effects to delight and edify her audiences.

She had the happy faculty of eliciting from those with whom she worked, a joyous co-operation and the hundreds of young people who throughout the years came into contact with her derived from her an impetus and an inspiration which has been of incalculable value to them.

She appealed to people in a peculiar and charming way. She was a friend who seemed to understand and sympathize in trouble or triumph without having to be explained to. Hers was the gift of divining the secrets of one's heart, and what she saw there she respected and held sacred.

One always wanted to do one's best for Mrs. BOOKER, whether it was in writing an editorial or dancing in one of the lovely figures she contrived or whatever it might be, and when she treasured the results of one's labors as she had the habit of doing, it was quite enough reward.

She set in motion so many influences upon so many lives, helped so very many people in so very many constructive ways that strengthened and ennobled character, that this widening and continuing influence will stand as her monument.

~~~~

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Monday, September 24, 1928
Page FIVE, Column 2

Just Among Ourselves

... --Miss Eloise SMITH, who is teaching at Ann Arbor, Mich., came this afternoon being called here by the death of her aunt, Mrs. Harry F. BOOKER. ...

~~~~

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Wednesday, September 26, 1928
Front Page, Column 5

BOOKER FUNERAL HELD YESTERDAY
From the E. R. SMITH Home and Was Largely Attended; Burial Here

Many paid tribute to the memory of Mrs. Harry F. BOOKER at the funeral services held at the home of her sister and husband, Mr. and Mrs. E. R. SMITH, 206 South Main street at 3:30 oclock yesterday afternoon. The house was crowded with relatives and friends and a profusion of lovely bouquets and floral pieces from the different societies to which she belonged were grouped about the casket and through the rooms.

The services were conducted by Dr. Gilbert Voorhies of the Presbyterian church and he very appropriately took for his subject "A Message From the Clouds". Miss Cora Ball and Mrs. L. W. VanNostrand, with Mrs. Frank Pierson at the piano,, sang "The End of a Perfect Day" and "Rugged Frost".

The following acted as pall bearers: E. R. SMITH, Harry Booker SMITH, Russell SMITH, Jr., Wilson R. Heflin, Harry E. SMITH and James F. Wilson. Interment was made in Evergreen cemetery.

Those from a distance for the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. W. D. JUNKIN, Mrs. Henry McCullough and Mrs. Harold Leonard of Chariton, Miss Eloise B. SMITH of Ann Arbor, Mich., Mrs. J. B. Swinburne and W. J. McGiffin of Ft. Madison, Mrs. D. W. Cummings of Peoria, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Sands of Afton and Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Guyer of Salem.

~~~~

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Tuesday, October 2, 1928
Page SIX, Column 2

SOCIETY

... MISS MANATREY WAS HOSTESS

A most enthusiastic meeting marked the opening of the year's work of the Literature and Drama department of the Fairfield Woman's club, which was held yesterday afternoon at the home of Miss Hazel Manatrey, 703 East Burlington street.

The book, "Strange Interlude" by Eugene O'Neill was the afternoon's lesson and a very interesting review of the book was given by the chairman, Mrs. Paul S. Junkin. Many other noteworthy points were discussed by the different ladies on the afternoon's program.

Mrs. Frank Fourt gave a very beautiful tribute to Mrs. Harry F. BOOKER, a member of this department, who passed away last week.

~~~~
Admin entries copied with permission from The Fairfield Ledger, Inc. IAGenWeb Bylaws PROHIBIT the COPYING AND RE-POSTING OF THIS MATERIAL IN ANY PUBLIC VENUE such as Ancestry or Find A Grave without WRITTEN permission from the poster ~ copyright restrictions apply.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Evergreen cemetery, Fairfield, Iowa. Old.P.274

Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen