Orange Jackson DeVault (1956)
BELLOWS, DEVAULT, FORD, LEEPER, MAPES, WILSON
Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 12/7/2006 at 18:37:33
Winterset Madisonian
Wednesday, May 23, 1956O. J. DEVAULT OF EARLHAM DIES
Penn Township Farmer and Earlham Postmaster Was 74 Years of Age
O. J. DeVault, former Earlham postmaster, died last Thursday May 17 at a nursing home in Dexter at the age of 74 years.
Mr. DeVault was a leading citizen of Earlham, and of Penn township where he farmed for many years. He was active in the affairs of his community over a long period of years.
He was born April 26, 1882, near Ely in Linn county, the eldest in a family of five children born to Charles H. and Minerva Jane DeVault. When he was 10 years old he came with his parents to Penn township, where they lived on a farm two miles south of Penn Center.
On June 27, 1906 he was married to Estella Bellows. They were parents of one daughter, Ruth, now Mrs. Merle Leeper.
After his marriage he worked for the Rock Island railroad as a fireman for about a year, then moved back to his farm in Penn township, where he spent 34 years.
In the spring of 1941, he was appointed postmaster at Earlham serving in that capacity for 11 years.
Mrs. DeVault died in 1943. In the autumn of 1944 he was married to Mrs. Carrie Ford of Des Moines, who survives him.
When he was 16 years of age he became a member of the Penn Center Methodist church, in which he was active, serving as Sunday school teacher and superintendent, and member of the official board. He transferred his membership to the Earlham Methodist church in 1946. He was also a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge.
Surviving are his wife; his daughter, Mrs. Merle Leeper, three grandchildren; one great grandchild; a sister, Mrs. Frank Wilson, of Earlham; a brother Clarence DeVault, of Pasadena, Calif.; and five step-children.
Funeral services were held Saturday from the Earlham Methodist church conducted by the Rev. Anthony Blankers, assisted by the Rev. Paul Trexter. Burial was made in the Penn Center cemetery.
________________________Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, May 24, 1956Services Held For O. J. De Vault Saturday
Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at the Earlham Methodist church for O. J. DeVault, who died Thursday, May 17. Services were in charge of Rev. Anthony Blankers and Rev. Paul Textor. Francia Leeper accompanied by Mrs. Claire Leeper, was soloist.
Casket bearers were: Vern Wilkie, Worth Deets, Bernard Cook, John Moreland, Roy Imboden and H. E. Pickett. Burial was in the Penn Center cemetery.
Mr. DeVault farmed for many years in Penn township, moving to Earlham when he was appointed postmaster. He held this position until his retirement several years ago. He took an active part in community affairs, was a member of the Lions club, and the Odd Fellow lodge. His obituary follows.
Orange Jackson DeVault was born on April 26, 1882 near Ely in Linn county, Iowa and died at the Garwood Nursing Home in Dexter on May 17, 1956. He was the oldest of a family of five children born to Charles H. and Minerva Jane DeVault. At the age of ten, he moved with his parents to Penn township in Madison county where the family lived on a farm two miles south of Penn Center. At the age of sixteen, he was converted to Christ and joined the Penn Center Methodist church, serving it faithfully as Sunday School teacher and superintendent, and member of the Official Board. He transferred his membership to the Earlham Methodist church April 21, 1946.
On June 27th, 1906 he was united in marriage to Estella Bellows, and to this union was born one daughter, Ruth, who is now Mrs. Merle Leeper.
After working for the Rock Island Railroad for about a year as a fireman, he moved back to his farm and lived there for thirty-four years.
In the spring of 1941 he was appointed Postmaster at Earlham, and he and Estella moved to Earlham. He served as Postmaster for eleven years. In 1943 he was bereft of his wife by death. In the fall of 1944 he was married to Mrs. Carrie Ford of Des Moines, who has been his companion since that time and who remains to mourn his loss. Also surviving are his daughter, Ruth, and her husband, Merle Leeper; three grandchildren, Lola (Mrs. Franklyn Mapes), Ross and Janet Leeper; one great grandchild, Gary Mapes; five devoted step-children; one sister, Mrs. Frank Wilson of Earlham; and a brother, Clarence DeVault of Pasadena, California. His parents, a sister, Martha, and a brother, Albert preceded him in death.
O. J. was interested in civic affairs and until recently took an active part in the life of the community. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
The Rev. Anthony Blankers assisted by the Rev. Paul Textor conducted the funeral services at the Earlham Methodist church Saturday, May 19, at 2:30 p.m. and burial was in the Penn Center cemetery. Miss Francia Leeper of Winterset, accompanied by her mother, Mrs. Claire Leeper at the organ sang.
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