George H. Bedell 1872-1947

BEDELL, HICKS, OSBORNE, BRAUM

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 7/17/2021 at 10:05:08

27 February 1947 - The Anamosa Journal

CEDAR RAPIDS - Service was held Monday afternoon, Feb. 10, at 1 p.m. at Beatty funeral home in Cedar Rapids for George H. Bedell, who died Thursday, Feb. 6, at Cedar Rapids.

Burial was in the family lot in Riverside cemetery at Anamosa.

George H. Bedell, a son of the late George H. Bedell, sr., and Amelia Burgess Bedell, was born in Onslow on July 3, 1872. He was the youngest of four children. He moved with his parents to Anamosa in 1883.

From early childhood, he showed musical talent and ability to play the piano or any string or wind instrument "by ear" and without special instruction. As a young man he mastered the concert harp in this way and played it, as well as many other instruments in Bedell's Opera House orchestra, and also with the Mount Olivet Commandery band, both of which organizations were under the direction of his older brother, Roscoe L. Bedell.

George was educated in the Anamosa public schools and the private school of Rev. Corbyn, a rector of the Episcopal church.

He early mastered telegraphy, and was active in railroad business for many years, serving as telegraph operator, station agent, and train dispatcher for both the Chicago & Northwestern railroad and the Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. At different times he was located at Boone, Stanwood, Coggon, Maquoketa, Monticello, Anamosa, Marion, Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.

He learned the art of piano tuning while employed at the Watson Music store in Cedar Rapids in the early "nineties" and later during World war I while employed in the Milwaukee railroad offices at Des Moines, he took further training in piano tuning and became a member of the National association of Piano Tuners. During later years and up tot he time of his passing, George was well known throughout the Cedar Rapids area for his piano tuning.

In 1892, he married Miss Jennie Hicks, Springfield, Mass., who preceded him in death, as did their two sons, LeRoy, Springfield, Mass., and Harry, Bergensfield, N.J.

He is survived by three grandchildren living in New Jersey; one sister, Mrs. Louis D. Osborne, a niece, Mrs. G. Osborne Braum, and a grandniece, Constance Braum, all three of Anamosa and one nephew Frank Bedell, Cedar Rapids.