Shope, Henry Ward 1904-1945

SHOPE, BABB, STEWART, BUCHMEYER, DODD

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 6/11/2010 at 08:11:10

The Montezuma Republican (Montezuma, Iowa) March 22, 1945

WARD SHOPE

Ward Shope, co-owner with Allan Graff of the Sheridan Store, died of a heart attack Monday morning at 6:30 at the Deaconess Hospital, Marshalltown. He had entered the hospital a week before. He had been in failing health for a year and suffered a severe heart attaack last January.

Henry Ward Shope, son of Jacob Forney and Alma L. Babb Shope, was born September 25, 1904, in the Sheridan community, Poweshiek County, Ia., and died March 12, 1945, while a resident of the same community, having reached the age of 40 years, 5 months and 15 days. He spent his entire lifetime in the Sheridan community.

At the age of 16, after completing high school, he began working for his father in the Sheridan Store. The father built the store about 40 years ago. Ward had owned the store since January 1, 1924.

On February 3, 1923, Mr. Shope married Bessie Stewart of Bethel. They were the parents of two children, Ralph Wesley and Shirley Ann. Mrs. Shope died December 9, 1932, after a short illness.

On January 9, 1934, he married Minnie Buchmeyer of Columbia Township, Tama County, and three children were born to them, Ward Ramon, Terry Lynne and Wendell Lee.

In the early summer of 1938, Mr. Shope suffered the first attack of the illlness which later caused his death.

July 1, 1944, he formed a partnership in the store with Allan Graff who had worked for him at various times.

In January, Mr. Shope made a trip to Kansas and Nebraska to meet business acquaintances. He was very enthused by this trip and in the last months of his life he made plans for improving his home and store.

Mr. Shope was a life-long member of the Sheridan Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife and five children, Aviation Cadet Wesley Shope of the Norman, Okla., Navy primary base flying school, and Shirley, Ramon, Terry and Lee, all at home.

Also surviving are a sister, Mrs. Lester (Olive) Dodd of Traer; and three brothers, Ray of Toledo, Robert of Gladbrook and Hubert of Sheridan.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Ralph.

Funeral services was held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Sheridan Church with Rev. F.A. Moore in charge. Burial was in the Sheridan Cemetery.

The son, Wesley, came from Norman, Okla., for the service.--Tama Herald.