Robert Wilson Godby (1947)

GODBY, WILSON, FOSTER, GIST

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 4/11/2007 at 17:19:17

Earlham Echo, Earlham, Iowa
September 1947

ROBERT WILSON GODBY

Robert Wilson Godby, elder son of Clement and Lilian Wilson Godby, was born near Earlham on November 4, 1899.

He was graduated from Earlham high school in 1917 and spent part of the next year in a Boys' Moody School at Mt. Hermon, Mass. He was graduated from Iowa State college in 1923 where he was affiliated with Theta Chi, Alpha Zeta and Double A fraternities. He then returned to the home place where he farmed with his father.

On July 18, 1928 he was married to Isabella Foster and rejoiced in his family of three children, Jean Frances 17, John Foster 15 and Mary Isabella 8.

On the return of his brother from Iowa State College, Robert became a farm manager for Bankers Life Company and moved with his family to Colfax, Iowa in September 1934, continuing in that work until 1941. In December 1934 he purchased the farm which his grandfather, Christopher Wilson, had entered from the Government in 1854, and returned from Colfax to make this his home in 1937.

He appreciated and cherished the fact that he, the third generation, was privileged to till and build the soil of his forefathers and develop the stock that grazed thereon.

Since childhood Robert had been a member of the Earlham Presbyterian church, filing the offices of Elder and Sunday School superintendent, and on the retirement of his father as Clerk of the Session, he succeeded him in that capacity.

While going about his farm duties he, with two other men, were accidentally killed on September 24, 1947.

His wife and family survive; his parents, his sisters, Dorothy of Earlham, Marjorie Gist of Warsaw, Poland, and one brother, Graham, of Earlham.

He cherished the heritage of a good name believing that "a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches."

Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at 2:30 in the First Presbyterian church, conducted by the pastor, Rev. S. R. Overholser and interment in the Earlham cemetery.