Bert Willison (1967)

WILLISON, GISSIBLE, BEESON, BOYLE, THRAILKILL, FINES, BURWELL

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 10/13/2008 at 14:41:55

Earlham Echo – May 25, 1967
Obituary

Bert Willison, son of Sylvester and Emaline Willison, was born in Jones County, Iowa, April 14, 1875 and passed away May 14, 1967, at the Memorial hospital in Winterset, Iowa, at the age of 92 years and one month.

He was only an infant six weeks of age when his parents moved by covered wagon to a farm in Adair County and later moving to Cass County. In this community he grew to manhood and attended the public schools.

On May 28, 1902, he was united in marriage to Nancy Ann Gissible of Anita. Their home was blessed with six children. They were Anita, Lela, Lee, Arlene, Max and Dorothy.

He first lived on a farm in the Anita community and then in 1926 he moved to a farm in the Earlham community and in 1931 he moved to a farm in the Norwalk community and in this community he has lived the rest of his life.

He was a lifelong member of the Methodist church. He has been a member of the Masonic Lodge for 65 years. He became a Master Mason at Anita, and later demitted to Welfare Lodge in Norwalk of which he was a Past Master.

He was a man of the soil and he loved livestock, especially horses and through the years has had many teams to till the soil and do the work now done by machine and tractor.
He was a devoted father, good neighbor and trusted friend to all.

In leaving he bids farewell to his sons, Lee and Max, both of Norwalk; the four daughters, Mrs. Ben (Anita) Beeson, Earlham; Mrs. Maurice (Lela) Boyle, Dexter; Mrs. Chester (Arlene) Thrailkill, Dexter; Mrs. Dorothy Fines, Clearwater, Florida; one sister, Mrs. Alice Burwell, Griswold, Iowa; 12 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and many friends. His parents, one brother and three sisters all preceded him in death.