BEAN, Edgar Rodger 1888 - 1942

BEAN, GREEN, BYERLY, GREENLEAF, REED, MURRAY, GREENE

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/25/2021 at 20:23:28

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Monday, February 23, 1942
Front Page, Column 5

EDGAR R. BEAN DIES SUDDENLY IN NEW YORK
Former Fairfield man stricken while at work on Daily News

Edgar Rogers (sic) BEAN, well known former Fairfield resident, died suddenly Sunday evening, in New York City. He was working at his desk in the Daily News building when he suffered a stroke at 9:00 p.m. He was taken to a hospital, where he died very soon, without having regained consciousness. For several years he has held responsible positions with the New York Daily News.

He was born Sept. 19, 1888 and attended the Fairfield public schools, Parsons academy and Parsons college, from which he was graduated in 1911.

He was the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. V. BEAN, a family prominent, at that time, in Parsons college and Presbyterian circles here.

During the years while he was attending Parsons college, and for some time after graduation, Edgar BEAN was employed on the Fairfield Daily Journal. His service extended over a period of six or seven years, first as sports editor and later as city editor.

He went from Fairfield to a position on the Des Moines Register in 1912 where he remained for about two years. He then worked on newspapers in Minneapolis, Minn.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; St. Louis, Mo. before going to New York City. He entered the U. S. service, during the World War I while in St. Louis.

Mr. BEAN married Miss Mable GREEN, formerly of Avoca, Ia. whom he met when they were both in newspaper work in St. Louis. His wife is employed by the New York Sun as special writer.

Brief services will be held in the newspaper office of the Daily News in New York Wednesday evening. Following this the body will be brought to Fairfield and short services will be held Friday forenoon at the Murray Funeral home in charge of Rev. W. R. Yingling. Burial will be in the family lot, in Evergreen cemetery.

He is survived by his wife and one brother, Dr. James W. BEAN of Canton, Ohio and two sisters, Mrs. Frank BYERLY of Minneapolis, and Mrs. Hale GREENLEAF of Centerville, Iowa

Wilson REED of Fairfield is a cousin and Homer MURRAY also is a relative of Mr. BEAN.

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"The Fairfield (Ia.,) Daily Ledger"
Wednesday, February 25, 1942
Page TWO, Column 1

Silent Tribute Paid To Late Edgar BEAN

Mrs. Louden asked that all observe a moment of silence as tribute to Edgar BEAN, managing editor of the New York News, a graduate of Parsons college with the class of 1911. Mr. BEAN passed away suddenly Sunday evening while at his desk in the Daily News building. The body is to be brought here for burial on Friday.

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"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Thursday, February 26, 1942
Front Page, Column 3

Short Services For Edgar BEAN To Be Held Tomorrow

Short funeral services for Edgar R. BEAN, who passed away in New York, will be held at the Murray funeral home Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Services will be in charge of Rev. W. R. Yingling of the Presbyterian church and interment will be in Evergreen cemetery.

A brother, Rev. James W. BEAN, D. D. of Canton, Ohio, and Edgar BEAN's wife accompanied the body to Fairfield from New York.

Other relatives expected to attend the funeral are Mr. and Mrs. Hale GREENLEAF of Centerville, Mrs. Frank BYERLY of Minneapolis, and Dr. Paul A. REED of Iowa City.

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"The Fairfield (Ia.,) Daily Ledger"
Friday, February 27, 1942
Page THREE, Column 4

Final Rites For Edgar BEAN, New York News Executive, Held In Old Home Town
Starting his career on Fairfield's daily paper he lived a busy life

Final rites for Edgar R. BEAN, acting managing editor of the New York News and former Fairfield newspaper man, were held at the Murray Funeral Home at 10:30 this morning. The service was in charge of Rev. W. R. Yingling, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, of which Mr. BEAN was a member while living in Fairfield.

Appropriate passages of scripture were read and a very personal touch was added in the reading of a letter from an old friend and well known newspaper writer, Denis Morrison of Los Angeles, Calif. The service closed with a prayer.

Prof. James P. Moorhead, of Parsons college, a friend of Edgar BEAN's, was pianist. Before and following the address he rendered comforting strains from a large number of the loved and familiar hymns of the church.

The pallbearers were Roy Louden W. D. Hunt, R. C. Leggett, Harvey E. Gaumer, Arthur F. Greef and Wm. Krapfel of Centerville. Interment was in the BEAN family lot, in Evergreen cemetery.

Besides Mrs. Edgar BEAN there were among those present from out of town, Dr. James W. BEAN pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Canton, Ohio; Mrs. Frank BYERLY of Minneapolis, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Hale GREENLEAF of Centerville; Miss Martha McClure of Mt. Pleasant; Ralph Rogers of Burlington and Dr. Paul A. REED of Iowa City.

The New York News, February 23, prominently carried Mr. BEAN's photograph and an extended article concerning him, in part as follows:

Edgar R. BEAN, 53, news editor of The News and one of New York's best known newspaper executives, was fatally stricken at his desk in the editorial room at 8:15 p.m. yesterday. He died an hour later in the Hospital for Special Surgery, 42nd street at Second Ave.

Ed BEAN, as he was known to his co-workers and thousands of other newspapermen all over the country, suffered a stroke while laying out the One Star edition. It was a job he had directed for 18 years.

He was taken to the hospital by members of the staff. His wife, Mabel GREENE, reporter and feature writer for the New York Sun, was summoned, and was at his bedside when the end came.

Ed BEAN was born in Fairfield, Iowa, Sept. 17 (sic - 19th), 1888, the son of Dr. John V. BEAN, physician and surgeon and Elizabeth WILSON BEAN. He attended the public schools and graduated from Parsons college. While in college he worked for the Fairfield Daily Journal and was also correspondent for the Des Moines Register, upon which paper he secured a position, following his graduation. He worked on the Register for two and a half years.

From there he went to the St. Paul Dispatch, then the Oklahoma City Oklahoman. In later years BEAN often remarked that he put in almost exactly two and a half years on each of those papers.

He served as a lieutenant in the United States army during the World war (sic - WWI). The Armistice came as he was about to be transferred to the Intelligence Service.

He went back to Oklahoma City after the war, but a month or so later joined the staff of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. There he met another reporter, Miss GREENE, who later was to become his wife.

Ed BEAN came to New York in 1919 and got a job on the Sun. Again, he stayed there two and a half years. Then, on Oct. 5, 1922, he joined The News.

His first job there was as a copyreader. After seven weeks he became the head of the copy desk and later make-up editor. Eighteen years ago he became news editor. For the last two years he had been acting managing editor.

He was married to Miss GREENE in the Greenwich Presbyterian church here on May 25, 1929. Miss GREENE also is a native of Iowa, having been born in the town of Avoca, the daughter of Leander L. GREENE.

The BEANs had a home in Westport, Conn., and maintained an apartment in town at 78 W. 47th street.

(same publication and page, but Column 5 -- )

Intimate Appraisal Of Edgar R. BEAN

Mrs. Mabel G. BEAN, wife of Edgar R. BEAN received the following striking tribute, typed by a former newspaper associate, Denis Morrison, upon receiving word of Edgar's sudden passing. The letter, dated February 24, from Los Angeles, is as follows:

Dear Mabel:

This is the way I would like to have written the story:

Edgar BEAN, assistant managing editor of The News, died last night in the way that all good soldiers and good newspapermen would die if they had their choice.

The ink wasn't dry on the edition, the headlines were hot with news, the world's greatest city was reaching for its favorite newspaper--his handiwork--when death stole up to him and said, "It's '30', old timer, and the shift is over."

It was a storybook way to die. Ed BEAN was no storybook managing editor except in the intense and selfless loyalty which he gave to his job; but genuine loyalty of the sort that animated him is so rare and beautiful a thing that even death must have singled him out as one who had merited a very special and singular recognition.

He was one of the small and thinning band of good newspaper men who started The News on its march to the heights. He marched with it and he too reached the heights. He grew during those bustling, busy years, successful years brimming with accomplishment, triumph, and struggle, happy years. As The News grew in power and wealth and prestige, and hence in responsibility to its multiplying army of readers, Ed BEAN grew too in his readiness and ability to accept his share of the burden and more. The institution for which he toiled leaned heavily upon him, how heavily only his fellow executives know.

Ed possessed certain qualities that stemmed from the over-generous, loyalties of his soul, and among these were justice, good temper, and tolerance. He was exacting, of himself first and of his subordinates afterward. The innate kindliness which was so essential a part of his nature shone forth in the heat and fury of his daily work and in the pleasant fellowship of his craft in leisure hours.

He had a mighty good time living. He had love, he had comradeship, he had his own self-respect and the respect of others, he had a reverence for duty and for sacred things, he had a great enthusiasm for his job, he had humor and gaiety and laughter and a deep honesty, and with all these things he had too a prodigally abundant capacity for judging them leniently. Out of those elements the good life is compounded.

The good life and the good death.

A man who has given what Ed gave in this life and who has received what he received lays down his burden well content. It could not be any other way. He left a legacy in which all who knew him will share as long as they live, something radiant and courageous and beneficent. The very young will not understand that this is the richest inheritance a man in privileged to bequeath to his friends; but his friends know it, and that is why the glow that clings around the memory of Ed will not dim.

We are very sad for you, Mabel.

Denis Morrison

----

(Editor's Note:--Not only while Edgar BEAN was a student in Parsons but both before and after his college work, he was employed under this writer, in a very close and pleasant relationship. The foregoing letter says none too much in praise of his ability and of those fine qualities which survive the grave. It would be difficult, and it is unnecessary, to add anything to the discriminating appraisal made by Mr. Morrison. It is an honest picture of a man who went out from a Christian background and continued to carry every standard high.--D. T. [sic - Dean Taylor])

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"The Fairfield (Ia.,) Daily Ledger"
Tuesday, March 3, 1942
Page FIVE, Column 1

LOCALS

… --Mrs. Edgar BEAN of New York City, left for her home Saturday night, after having accompanied the body of her husband, the late Edgar BEAN for burial. Funeral services were held Saturday morning at 10:30 at the Murray Funeral Home. Her sister-in-law, Mrs. Frank BYERLY (Helen BEAN) accompanied her sister and husband, Mrs. Hale GREENLEAF (Mary BEAN) and Mr. GREENLEAF to their home in Centerville for a weekend visit, before going to her own home in Minneapolis, Minn.

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"The Fairfield (Ia.,) Daily Ledger"
Tuesday, June 9, 1942
Page THREE, Columns 5 and 6

English Girl Will Spend Summer Here
Home Is Near London; came to this country after outbreak of war

As Cherry Lavell stepped from the train at the Rock Island depot yesterday afternoon, one would never suspect that she had only been in this country for two years, and that she was coming to a city in which she had never visited before.

Her appearance was that of any ordinary 11 year old girl. As she walked a short distance from the train, she started looking for the Fairfield residents with whom she would spend the summer here.

At that very moment, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson REED were hurrying down the platform to greet their guest, whom they will entertain for the next few months.

Cherry Lavell is a native of England. She lived with her parents in a city near London. She came to the United States about two years ago shortly after the Axis Powers started their relentless air raids on English cities.

The girl did not come to the United States as a refugee, as many children came. She was an invited guest to this country by the late Edgar BEAN, former Fairfield resident. Mr. Lavell, the girl's father, was an intimate friend of Mr. BEAN's.

Edgar BEAN passed away suddenly February 22, 1942. He was working at his desk in the Daily News Building in New York City when he suffered a stroke. He died at a hospital shortly after.

Cherry Lavell made the trip to Fairfield alone from Westport, Connecticut, where Mrs. BEAN is now residing. She will remain here as a guest of the Reed family during the summer months. It is probable that she will learn a great deal about Iowa and the middle west during her visit in this city.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Lot 2nd.240. Wife Mabel died in 1977 and is buried with him.