Jeffers, William I. 1889-1968

JEFFERS, HUGHES

Posted By: Viv Reeves (email)
Date: 2/7/2006 at 14:29:57

From the Haxtun Harvest (Haxtun, Colorado), January 31, 1968:
WILLIAM I. JEFFERS DIED IN DENVER HOSPITAL

William I. Jeffers, 78, retired farmer and a present member of the Haxtun town council, passed away Saturday morning, January 27, at a Denver hospital following a two months illness. Mr. Jeffers was taken by Radford ambulance to Denver on January 6. He underwent a major operation at the Logan County Hospital in Sterling about two months ago and later was hospitalized in the local hospital.

Mr. Jeffers was born December 30, 1889 at Akron, Iowa and was married December 29, 1915 to Miss Vera Hughes at Seney, Iowa. They moved to a farm east of Haxtun in 1921 and in 1963 retired and moved to a home in town.

Mr. Jeffers is survived by his wife, Vera, and twin sons, Clinton of Denver, and Clyde of Haxtun. He was preceded in death by an 18 month old daughter.

Funeral services were held this Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 from the United Methodist church with Rev. Thomas R. Fletcher officiating.

Music was furnished by Mrs. Stanley Ham, organist, and a duet composed of Miss Betty Sullivan and Clark Starkebaum, who sang "Beautiful Isle" and "I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked".

Honorary escorts were Arthur Hulse, Earl Marlatt, Ace Goddard, Charles Gale, Mandel Wedin, and Claud Olson.

Acting escorts were Ward Dee, Walter Bauer, Earl Prideaux, Boyd Dunbar, Lloyd Skold and Roscoe Peterson.

Concluding service and burial were at the Haxtun cemetery.

The following obituary was read:

William Isaac Jeffers, the only child of Rev. William and Alvina Jeffers, was born December 30, 1889 at Akron, Iowa, and departed this life on January 27, 1968 at the Magdalene Gardens Hospital in Denver at the age of 78 years and 28 days.

Bill grew to manhood in the Akron and Seney, Iowa communities where he received his formal education.

On December 29, 1915 he was united in marriage to Vera Alice Hughes at her family home in Seney. To this union three children were born, Rebecca Elaine, who passed away with pneumonia at the age of 18 months, and twin sons, Clyde and Clinton.

Bill and Vera lived on a farm near Merrill, Iowa where their children were born. They moved to Haxtun, Colorado in 1921 and lived on a farm where Jack Hill now resides. In 1935 they purchased the farm on which they lived until retirement.

Upon retiring five years ago they moved their house into Haxtun. Here 'Dad' enjoyed working in the yard, and watching the birds which were a part of nature that he loved so dearly. He loved to fish and spent many happy hours along the banks of the Poudre River and from his boat at Kingsley Dam. His wife and sons and their families had many good times together at the trailer house, enjoying his sport with him.

Bill enjoyed music and in his younger days enjoyed playing his French horn and violin with his friends in local orchestras.

Two years ago their sons and families hosted a golden wedding celebration in their honor.

In 1965 he was elected to the town board and was eager to see that Haxtun progressed and that the children of the community had wholesome places for recreation.

He became a member of the Methodist church early in life. He was a member of the Haxtun Masonic lodge.

He was a loving and faithful husband, father and grandfather.

He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Vera; the twins, Clyde and Clinton and their wives, Mildred and Norma; six grandchildren, Kenneth and his wife Carol, Darwin and his wife Carol Ann, Mark (sic-Marc), Brent, Neal (sic-Neil) and Lisa, and one great-grandchild, Corinna. Also, two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Ellen Hauck, and Mrs. Rebecca Mohr. Also a large host of friends.