Frank Ledbetter (1894-1968)

LEDBETTER, WILLIAMS, WITTEN, MCGRAIL

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

From Nevada Journal January 22, 1968 (page 1)

Frank Ledbetter is dead at age of 73

Frank Ledbetter, a newsman for 50 years and publisher of the Evening Journal form 1958 to 1961, died at 2:45 p.m. Saturday in the Story County Hospital at the age of 73.

He had been seriously ill with cancer for nearly six months.

A native of Farmington, Mo., Mr. Ledbetter was born to Hartwell Brown and Georgianna Williams Ledbetter on January 5, 1895.

He attended public school and Carleton College in Farmington, Mo., and graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1918. He enlisted in the Navy before graduation and was discharged shortly after the armistice was signed in November of 1918.

He was employed by the Sikeston (Mo.) Daily Standard, the St. Louis (Mo.) Post-Dispatch, and was city editor of the Trenton (Mo.) Republican-Times.

Ledbetter was married to Letha Witten in Trenton September 22, 1923 and the couple moved to Carterville, Ill., where he had purchased the Carterville Herald. In 1929 he became the owner of the Pulaski Enterprise at Mound City, Ill. and a few years later the Mounds (Ill.) Independent. He was also co-owner of the Hirsch Printing Company in Cairo, Ill.

In 1958 the Ledbetters moved to Nevada where he and his son W. H. Ledbetter purchased the Evening Journal. Mr. Ledbetter was publisher of the paper for three years before his retirement in 1961. He remained active in the news work, however, and his "Here and There" column continued to be a prominent part of the Evening Journal's news pages.

A member of the Methodist Church, Ledbetter had served on the church board both in Illinois and Iowa, was a Sunday School superintendent for many years, a member of the choir, a Sunday School teacher, and served as a lay-minister in several area pulpits.

He was a Scoutmaster in Carterville, Ill., and also served several terms as Water Commissioner of that community. He was president of the Southern Illinois Press Association in 1949-50 and was recognized for his editorial fight against syndicated crime in Southern Illinois.

Mr. Ledbetter was a member of the American Legion, the Nevada Lions Club, the Toastmasters, and the Golden Age Club. He was given life membership n the Story County 4-H Association.

Survivors include his wife, Letha, of Nevada; one son, W. H. Ledbetter, Nevada; an adopted daughter, Mrs. Joyce McGrail of California; a sister Miss Mary Ledbetter of Farmington, Mo.; a brother, Reuben Ledbetter of Sidney, N.Y.; and three grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at the United Methodist Church in Nevada at 2 p.m. Tuesday with the Rev. M. C. Shupe officiating, assisted by the Rev. E. R. Walter. Burial will be in the Edinburg Cemetery at Trenton, Mo. Wednesday after memorial services at Blackmore Whitaker Funeral Home. Ryan Funeral Home will be in charge of services in Nevada.