PIERSON, Robert Ray

PIERSON, TRUCANO, COSTELLO, WOODFILL, WASHBURN, WILSON, PIERCE, BENTLY, PARKER, HUMMEL, MCGREW, BUCHER, CLARK

Posted By: Jeffrey L Wiatt (email)
Date: 9/2/2006 at 16:09:28

The Malvern Leader 6 September 1951

Final Rites Held for Ray Pierson

Final rites were held in the Wesley Chapel church Tuesday, at 2 p. m. for Robert Ray Pierson, conducted by the Rev. Peter Trucano.
Music for the service was furnished by Mrs. Chas. Costello and Mrs. Marvin Woodfill accompanied by Mrs. Henry Washburn. Casket bearers were Ralph Wilson, Ben Wilson, Frank Pierce, John Bently, Marion Wilson and Arthur Pierce. Caring for the floral offerings were Mrs. Lynn Parker, Mrs. Alfred Hummel, Mrs. Dallas McGrew and Mrs. Kent Bucher. Ushers were Everett McGrew and John Wilson Jr.
Robert Ray, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ella Pierson, was born on a farm near Henderson, Ia., Oct. 30, 1882 and departed this life at St. Joseph hospital in Omaha, Sept. 1, 1951 of coronary occlusion.
After attending eighth grade in rural school, he attended high school in Henderson from which he graduated with the class of 1899. He received his higher education at Tabor college and took a short course in agriculture at Iowa State college at Ames.
He started farming with his father in 1905 and immediately became interested in seed corn, winning many prises at the county, state and national corn shows.
On Feb. 24, 1909 he was united in marriage to Mabell Wilson of Hastings to which were born two children, Melvin Harvey, who died in infancy and Joyce Roberta, who is now a teacher in the Glenwood schools.
He was deeply interested in community affairs. He was a charter member of the Mills County Farm Bureau, a member of the Wesley Chapel Methodist church, Masonic lodge and the order of the Eastern Star at Macedonia.
He loved music and in his younger days sang in the church choir and played viols in the Mills County orchestra.
After a serious accident with a combine in 1930 he quit farming and became interested in sales work, which line he followed for several years.
At the beginning of the second World War he entered the Martin Bomber plant in Omaha where he worked for several years. Since that time he has been working as a mechanic for the Fred Loper Electric Sewing Machine Co., of Omaha.
He possessed a kindly disposition and enjoyed nothing better than a chat with an old friend.
He is survived by his wife, Mabell and daughter Joyce, two sisters, Mrs. Pearl Clark of Henderson and Mrs. Edna Wilson of DeKalb, Ill., and a host of relatives and friends.
Interment was in the Wesley Chapel cemetery.