Mary Delilah Blackledge

BLACKLEDGE, GEIGER, FORD, KNAPP, DERFLINGER, GIBSON, WESCOTT, BURMINGHAM, MASSEY, GEIGER, CRESS, HENDRYX, HOOVER, BELL

Posted By: Carrie Robertson (email)
Date: 10/21/2016 at 20:24:19

Thursday December 1, 1932 The Marion Sentinel
Funeral Rites Held For Mrs. Roy Blackledge
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Body of Beloved Marion Lady Laid to Rest Sunday; Died Thursday
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Funeral services were held at 2:30 Sunday at the Marion Presbyterian church for Mrs. L.R. Blackledge, 50 years old, who died in a Cedar Rapids hospital at 1:35 a.m. Friday from injuries received in an auto accident northwest of Marion the preceding Sunday, Nov. 20. The Rev. Dr. W.E. Fisher of the Presbyterian church was in charge of the services, being assisted by Dr. J.M. Walters, pastor of the Marion Methodist church.
Pallbearers were Irvin Ford, Claude Knapp, Clyde Derflinger, Frank Gibson, and Charles Wescott, of Marion, and W.A. Bell of Cedar Rapids. "Some Day" and "At the Close of the Day" were beautifully sung by Mrs. Ethyle Wood Burmingham of Marion and Mrs. Ruth Ebbling Massey of Cedar Rapids. They were accompanied by Mrs. Irvin Ford at the organ. The two ladies also paid a beautiful tribute to the memory of Mrs. Blackledge in singing as a benediction--
"O Thou, in all Thy might so far,
In all Thy love so near
Beyond the range of sun and star,
And yet beside us here"
About 1,000 friends attended the services to pay last respects to the deceased. Marion chapter, No. 183 O.E.S; Grove City Rebekah lodge, No. 35; Robert Mitchell Woman's Relief corps, No. 126, and Linn chapter No. 900. Order of DeMolay, assembled at the services in a body. Flowers and floral pieces were unusually profuse and beautiful, and bespoke the love and esteem in which Mrs. Blackledge was held by everyone in this community.
Interment was made in the family lot in Oak Shade cemetery.
The death of Mrs. Blackledge was an unusually grevious [sic] occurrence because of the tragic manner of her passing and because of the universal popularity which she en [missing] in this community. Sweet, kind-hearted, generous, Mrs. Blackledge moved ever in a circle of friends the number and sincerity of whom are equalled [sic] by few. Scores of persons in this community are indebted to Mrs. Blackledge for many deeds of kindness and charity, and everywhere she shed an aura of sweetness and charm.
Born March 10, 1882, near Independence, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah Elizabeth Geiger, Mary Delilah Blackledge came to Marion with her parents when she was seven years old, and had lived here the Marion high school [sic], and married L.R. Blackledge, now ticket agent of the Milwaukee railroad here, on Dec. 14, 1903. To them were born two sons, Harold, of Cedar Rapids, and LeRoy jr., who died in infancy.
Mrs. Blackledge was prominent in affairs of the Presbyterian church, of which she was a devout member. She was a member of Marion chapter, No. 183, Order of Easter Star; Gethsemane White Shrine; the Milwaukee Women's Corps, No. 126. She was a past noble grand of Grove City Rebekah lodge, and was active in lodge and club affairs.
She is survived by her husband, L.R. Blackledge; a son, Harold of Cedar Rapids; two half-brothers, Charles Geiger of Vinton and Clyde Hoover of Petaluma, Calif.; two uncles and aunts, Mr. and Mrs. P.W. Cress of Lafayette, and Mr. and Mrs. William Hendryx of Center Point.
Mrs. Blackledge suffered a fractured skull Sunday, Nov. 20, when the car in which she was riding with her husband, Mr. and Mrs. C.R. Albaugh and the Albaugh children, collided with a grave truck driven by Peter Rose of Cedar Rapids, five miles northwest of Marion. Mrs. Blackledge never regained consciousness.