Robert Easton Bearce 1911 - 1999

BEARCE, ROPES, DURR, CROSSLEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/11/2014 at 04:07:28

28 July 1999

Robert Easton Bearce, 88, of Whiting, Iowa, died
Wednesday, July 14, 1999, at Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting.

Robert was born June 5, 1911, at Onawa, Iowa, the son of Arthur Lawrence and Edna (Ropes) Bearce. He attended Whiting Community School. He married Harriett Durr. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy for seven years. On June 12, 1947, he married Edith Crossley at Orange City, Iowa. He worked at the Whiting elevator, for various farmers in the area, the City of Whiting, and retired in 1976 from Food, Machinery, Chemicals Corp. at Sergeant Bluff. Mrs. Bearce died May 2, 1992, in Onawa.

He was a member of the First Congregational Church in Whiting and a 50-year member of Emery Johnson American Legion Post #481 in Whiting. In 1953 he became a member of the Whiting Fire Department, retiring as an honorary member after 37 years of service in 1990. He served as fire chief from 1968-1976. He served as scout leader for the Whiting Boy Scouts of America for a number of years and was very active in the Whiting Community Club. He and Edith served as meal site coordinators for the Whiting Senior Citizens Center. In 1987 he was recognized by Governor Branstad for out-standing volunteer work in the community.

Survivors include 2 sons and their wives, Easton J. and Dorothy and Terry and Linda, all of Whiting; 2 stepsons and their wives, Kay and Carol Wilen of Navarre, Florida, and Lee and Sandy Wilen of Mt. Clemens, Michigan; 11 grand-children; several great-grand-children; and 1 great-great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Edith; 3 brothers, Roy "Bill", Charles "Brownie", and Harold "Bitty Hawk"; 1 sister, Harriet "Hattie" Mathiasen; a granddaughter, Kathy Bearce Peterson; and a stepdaughter, LaVon Degen.

Funeral Services were held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, July 19, 1999, at Pearson Funeral Chapel, Onawa, Iowa, with Shawn Walden, Minister, officiating. The music selections were "Tears In Heaven" by Eric Clapton and "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" by Boys To Men.

Honorary Bearers were the Whiting Fire Department Members.

Casket Bearers were Skip West, Mike Burns, Tom Marr, Eric Thomas, Ron Sanders, and John Seward.

Interment was in the Whiting Cemetery, Whiting, Iowa, with Military Rites by Emery Johnson American Legion Post #481, Whiting, Iowa, with John Scott, Jr. Commander.

Arrangements were by Pearson Funeral Home, Onawa, Iowa.