John Bearinger 1907-1944

BEARINGER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 3/15/2021 at 07:49:08

9 November 1944 - The Anamosa Journal

Funeral service for John Bearinger, 37, farmer living four miles north and east of Viola, was held Tuesday afternoon. Bearinger was found shot to death Saturday morning by a fence on the farm where he made his home with his mother, Mrs. Maude Bearinger.

Deputy Coroner F. W. Mulsow and Deputy Sheriff P. J. Whittemore, of Linn county, said they believed the shooting was accidental. Charge from a 12 gauge, single shot shotgun had blown the top off the man's head.

His mother said her son, who was unmarried, had been getting up early in the morning to shoot owls that had been molesting the chickens.

He arose about four a.m. Saturday, and when he did not return in about 30 minutes, she went to find him. Unsuccessful, she called a neighbor to help. Shortly afterward they found Bearinger's body on one side of the fence, the shotgun on the other.

Dr. Mulsow and Whittemore theorized that the gun had gone off while Bearinger was climbing the fence or after he had climbed it and was pulling the gun through.

John R. Bearinger, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Bearinger, was born in Jackson county, Ia., April 29, 1907. His early life was spent in the vicinity of his birth, and he graduated from the Monmouth high school with the class of 1925.

March 1, 1937, he moved with his parents to the present home, where the remainder of his life was spent. His father died April 11, 1937. He was baptized at the North Mineral Methodist church when nine years old.

After his two brothers, Pfc. Paul, Winter General hospital, Topeka, Kan., and Pfc. Walter, in the armed forces overseas, were called into the service he assisted his mother in the upkeep of the farm.

Surviving are his mother, two brothers, and his fiancee, Miss Wilma Klinefleter.