John Howe Fleming (1954)

FLEMING, KELBOURNE, WETRICH, MEREDITH, HILL

Posted By: Treva Patterson (email)
Date: 6/6/2007 at 19:23:36

Winterset Madisonian-Winterset, Iowa
January 12, 1955

JOHN H. FLEMING RITES HELD DEC. 31

John H. Fleming, well known resident of Penn township, died at the Dexter hospital Wednesday, Dec. 29, (1954) after an extended period of failing health. He was 74 years of age.

Mr. Fleming was born in Penn Township Feb. 29, 1880 a son of William and Deborah Kelbourne Fleming. As a young man he was married there to Frances Wetrich. They moved to California in 1910, living there until 1926, where he engaged in the road construction business. After returning to Madison county in 1926, he farmed in Penn township until ill health forced his retirement. He had made his home in recent years with his sister, Mrs. Lester Hill and after her death with his nephew and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hill.

His wife preceded him in death. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Lorraine Meredith, a granddaughter and great granddaughter, all of California; and a brother, Marion J. Fleming of Earlham.

Funeral services were held Dec. 31 from the Earlham Presbyterian church, conducted by the pastor, the Rev. Donald E. Freeman. Burial was made in the Earlham cemetery.
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Earlham Library Collection
1954

JOHN HOWE FLEMING

John Howe Fleming, son of William and Debora Kelbourne Fleming, was born in Penn township, Madison county, Iowa on February 29th, 1880. He grew up on what is now the Hazen Morford farm and received his education in the country school and Earlham Academy.

He married Frances Wetrich and they had one daughter, now Mrs. Loraine Fleming Meredith of California.

After farming in Madison county a few years, Mr. and Mrs. Fleming moved to California in 1910 and he remained there till 1926. During that time John was engaged in construction work. Making new roads through the mountains. He retired to Earlham in 1926 and has made his home there ever since; busy at the business of farming of which he had a thorough knowledge. He was a good farmer and stockman.

In later years his health failed and he tried easier work assisting in a veterinary clinic in Des Moines. But returned to make his home with his sister, the late Mrs. Lester Hill at Earlham. There he made himself useful with the garden, chickens and other chores, doing them cheerfully and well.

After Mrs. Hill's death John continued to live at the Hill farm with his nephew Frank Hill and wife and there he was content, cared for and appreciated. He fought a brave fight against sickness which followed him for several years till The Reaper called him at the Dexter hospital on Decmeber 29th, 1954, at the age of almost 75 years.

John was the youngest of eight children. All of whom except M. J. Fleming of Earlham preceded him in death as did his parents and wife. He was reared in a Christian home and joined the Earlham Presbyterian church in 1894. While he seldom attended church in later years, he remembered and cherished his early teachings and found comfort in them.

In his work John Fleming was diligent and dependable, always willing to go the second mile. Those who knew him well realized the depth of his affection for his family and his many, many friends. He never let them down.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, one granddaughter and one great granddaughter, one brother and numerous nieces and nephews who will long remember their kind Uncle John. And now he rests, "Till the Day Dawns and the Shadows Flee Away."