William Henry Fifer (1863-1912)

FIFER, GRAY, WALKER, WEIHER, KIRK, MINKLER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 9/7/2016 at 12:23:38

From Nevada Representative December 17, 1912 (front page)

OBITUARY

WM. H. FIFER

William Henry Fifer, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fifer of this city, died at his home in Excelsior Springs, Mo., Thursday evening and his funeral was conducted from the home of his sister, Mrs. Ina Walker of this city, on Sunday morning at nine o'clock, Rev. R. E. Shaw of Indianola officiating and Rev. Hardaway of this city assisting. Mr. Fifer's death followed years of invalidism in the course of which, in spite of all disadvantages, he had kept his business running and struggled most bravely to recover his health. He was a native of Wisconsin but came with his parents to Nevada as a child, and here he grew up and was known as a young man to all of the people here of his generation. In his later years his condition of health has prevented his making nay number of trips back home, and the last time he was here, which was several years ago, he was an invalid and unable to get around and meet friends. So his final return here was to receive the last tribute of sorrowing relatives and to be recalled by old friends as a young man whom they remember well but have scarcely seen in the years of his business activities.

The deceased was born at Gratiot, Wis., May 20, 1863, and died at Excelsior Springs, Mo., December 12, 1912, aged 49 years, 6 months and 22 days. His parents brought him as a babe to Ackley in this state and in 1867 to Nevada where they still reside. When he was ready to start out for himself he went to Emmetsburg where he farmed for a number of years and found Miss Nettie Gray, a teacher from Illinois, to whom he was married at Monticello, her home in that state, March 10, 1898. They lived for five years at Emmetsburg; but in 1902 his sufferings from rheumatism occasioned a removal to Excelsior Springs, where he engaged successfully in contracting but never was able to realize his hopes for restored health. With various ups and downs he continued his struggle, however, until quite recently; but an attempted operation just after Thanksgiving showed that he was suffering from cancer and hardening of the pancreas, and since that time no hope of his recovery had been entertained. His sister Mrs. Walker and later his father and mother were with him in his last weeks, and they and his family arrived here with his body Saturday afternoon. He leaves his wife and three little girls, Vivian, Lola and Ina Fay. Other relatives here for the funeral were his sisters, Mrs. Emma Weiher and Mrs. Stella Kirk, with the latter's daughter, Miss Mildred. Also there came with the party Mr. John Best, who had been his foreman at Excelsior Springs; and a sister and brother of Mrs. Fifer from Monticello had been at Excelsior Springs and came part way with the family to Nevada.

The funeral was as stated and the interment in the Nevada cemetery. The widow and her daughters will remain here with their relatives until Wednesday excepting the eldest daughter who has been for some time with her aunt Mrs. Howard Minkler and who will continue there.