Reber, H. O. 1870-1921

REBER, DUBOIS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 7/20/2012 at 20:20:14

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
December 13, 1921

OVERCOME BY GAS
H. O. REBER IS ASPHYXIATED IN HOTEL ROOM
HIS FATHER IN CRITICAL CONDITION
The Two Men Had Gone To Freeport, Illinois, Where the Sad Fatality Occurred,
To Attend the Funeral of a Relative.

The community was stirred last Friday when telegrams were received in LeMars
announcing the death of H. O. Reber, a popular and well known citizen of
LeMars for several years. The telegram received by Mrs. Reber stated death
was due to an accident.

H. O. Collins, a brother-in-law of the deceased, left on Friday night for
Freeport, Ill., where the fatal accident occurred and returned on Sunday
accompanying the remains to LeMars.

A dispatch from Freeport, Ill., to the daily papers stated that H. O. Reber,
52, LeMars, Iowa, was found dead and his father, J. K. Reber, 83, Elwood,
Neb., unconscious from gas in their hotel room here. Two jets were open.
They came here to attend the funeral of a relative whose body was being
brought from Pueblo, Colo. The dead man wore artificial legs. The coroner
believes the elder Reber accidentally turned on the gas.

Mr. Reber, who was on the regular jury panel at the term of the district
court here was excused from service early in the week as he wished to attend
the funeral of an uncle at Freeport, Ill. His aged father, J. K. Reber,
Elwood, Neb., also went to attend the funeral.

The two men went to a hotel in Freeport Thursday night and retired for the
night. From a statement made by the elder Reber, who was partially revived,
it appears that he had got up in the night and turned on as he supposed, an
electric light, and then retired again. The dead body of H. O. Reber and
the unconscious form of the elder man were found on the floor by hotel
employees in the morning, showing they had been awakened by the fumes of gas
and had attempted to get up and open a window or door.

J. K. Reber is still in a hospital at Freeport, Ill., and his condition is
regarded as very critical.

The tragic death of Mr. Reber came as a great shock to his wife and children
and his many friends in LeMars.

H. O. Reber was born on September 15, 1870, in Joe Daviess county, Illinois,
and when he was nine years old his parents moved to Sanborn, Iowa. He was
united in marriage on September 28, 1898, with Miss Grace Du Bois.

Mr. Reber was the victim of a terrible accident in a flouring mill at
Montevideo, Minn., when caught in some machinery and was badly mangled,
losing both legs at the knees some years ago. He put a good face on his
misfortune and although he suffered acutely and severely from his hurts bore
a brave front to the world. After his accident he took a business course in
college at Lincoln, Neb.

He and his family came to LeMars about twelve years ago and he was employed
for some time as bookkeeper at the Pech Foundry. Of late years, he
conducted a pop corn and peanut stand on Main street and at times assisted
in clerical work in the treasurer’s office at the court house.

He was cheerful and pleasant under adverse circumstances and daily people
stopped to patronize his wares and visit with him. He was well informed,
genial and sociable and everybody liked him.

He is survived by his wife, one daughter, Mrs. Glen Rounds, and a son,
Clarence, and his aged father, J. K. Reber, of Elwood, Neb. , his sisters,
Mrs. Oscar Miller, Elwood, Neb., Miss Belle Reber, Los Angeles, Cal., and a
brother, Will Reber, of Long Beach, Cal.

The Funeral services will be held this afternoon at 2 o’clock at the First
Baptist church, Rev. N. L. Haney, the pastor, officiating.
------------------------------------
SPECIAL NOTE of CORRECTION:
This article made a mistake in listing the
hometown of Jacob K. Reber and Mrs. Oscar Miller as
Elwood, NE,
when it was actually ELMWOOD, NE, a small farming community east
of Lincoln, NE.  (Elwood,NE is in far southwest Nebraska.)