John Edward Gearhart (1880-1941)

GEARHART, SHANDELMEIER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Nevada Evening Journal July 15, 1941 (page 3)

Funeral Rites Held at Maxwell for John Gearhart

Special to the Journal:
Maxwell, July 15--Funeral services for John Gearhart were held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Presbyterian church. The services were in charge of the Rev. C. E. Burdine with Mrs. H. C. Larsen at the piano.

A male quartette composed of C. B. French, Ross Olinger, Claire Olinger and Earl Bowen, sang three hymns, "Old Rugged Cross," "Does Jesus Care," and "Going Down the Valley."

The floral tributes were many and most beautiful.

Pallbearers were member of the I.O.O.F. lodge of which the deceased was a longtime member. They were R. Z. Brown, James Ward, L. E. McQuiston, Dave Pearson, Virgil Swarm and Olie Hulderson.

The sketch of his life as read by the pastor follows:

John Edward Gearhart, son of George Douglas and Ruth Ella Gearhart was born on a farm near Colo, Iowa, April 16, 1880, and passed away at the home of his mother in Maxwell, Ia., July 9, 1941, aged 61 years, 2 months and 23 days.

He grew to manhood in the Dalton neighborhood. At the age of 14 years he was baptized and joined the United Brethren church at Dalton. He moved with his parents to Nevada, Ia., March 1, 1900.

On Dec. 5, 1900, he was united in marriage with Maggie Shandelmeier. To this union five children were born, Leroy, Thelma, Vetta and Lester, who preceded him in death. Russell of Ames was with his father during his last illness. He leaves to mourn his passing his mother, one sister, Iva Bushnell of Fort Dodge; one brother, Earl, of Berkeley, Calif.; two grandchildren, Robert and Donald of Ames, and a host of relatives and friends.

In June 1907, he went with his brother Earl to Spokane, Wash., to visit his brother, Omar, and the next 15 years were spent in the western states. Just before Thanksgiving, 1922, he returned to Iowa and has since lived with his mother in her home in Maxwell. About two years ago he became ill and had to be taken to the University hospital, at Iowa City. He seemed to improve in health for some time, but soon became worse until a serious illness at Christmas time from which he did not recover.

A large congregation of friends and relatives from this and neighboring towns attended the rites and during his last illness he was cared for by members of the local Odd Fellows lodge. His illness extended over a period of two years though he had been about until about four weeks ago when he returned from the hospital in Iowa City. The graveside rites were in charge of Social Lodge No. 463, I.O.O.F., and interment in the the Maxwell cemetery.

Those attending the funeral from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Bushnell of Fort Dodge; Harry Berlin Irvin Higginbotham of Iowa Falls, Mr. and Mrs. Alva Gearhart, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Cummings, Mrs. Roy Tory, Maggie and Kate Donnelly and Mrs. Wiley Orr and son of Colo; Mrs. C. O. Beer and two children, Clara Lois and Linda Lee, Mrs. Altha Wade and Mrs. Nita Pratt, Swatchlander; Mrs. Bertha Simms, Mrs. Bessie Ellingsworth, Des Moines; and Thelma Kennedy of Los Angeles, Cal., Mr. and Mrs. Harley Gearhart, Mrs. Dennie Halterman, Olin Dolph, Collins, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Evans and Mr. and Mrs. Chas. French, Nevada, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Rorrabaugh, Carol Deaton, Mrs. Ossie Freel, Ames; Mr. and Mrs. Marion Gearhart, Farrar.