Alfred Jefferson Fawcett (1869-1942)

FAWCETT, GIFFORD, HANSON, WORK, ROBERG, HANSEN

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

From Nevada Evening Journal June 16, 1942 (page 1)

Alfred J. Fawcett Died Early Today At His Home Here

The community was gravely shocked early today by the announcement of the death at 12:15 a. m. of A. J. Fawcett, 72, at his home at 1223 K avenue.

While it was known that Mr. Fawcett had been failing in health for some time, suffering from a bone affliction, it was not until the latter part of the week that his condition was realized as critical. In fact he had been up and dressed as late as Friday.

The wife, Mrs. Huldah Fawcett, his daughters, Mrs. Glen R. Work of Chicago, Mrs. Harry T. Roberg of Ames and Mrs. Clayton F. Hansen of Nevada, as well as other members of the family, were at his bedside when he passed away.

Funeral arrangements are yet undetermined, so far as time is concerned, awaiting word from relatives in California. The body is now at the Lilly Funeral home.

Mr. Fawcett, a native of Story county, had been a continuous resident of Nevada since 1914 when he came here to take an interest in what was then known as Fitchpatrick Investment company. Later he, with his brother, Edgar A. Fawcett, organized the Fawcett Investment company, with which he was actively connected until December of last years when he retired from active business, because of failing health.

During these years he had been a prominent and active figure in the civic, business, social and church life of the city.

Always an active member of the Nevada community club, he had at one time served as its secretary, had served on the city council and school board and in various other positions of public trust, in none of which he had failed in his duty.

He and Mrs. Fawcett spent last winter at Tucson, Arizona, with the hope that the change would prove of benefit to his health, but he returned home, after a brief trip on to southern California, his condition little, if any, improved.

Alfred J. Fawcett was born on a farm four miles south of Colo a son of Sylvanus S. Fawcett and Hannah S. Gifford-Fawcett, October 23, 1869. The father died a number of years ago and the mother but two years ago at her home in Los Angeles.

Mr. Fawcett was married in 1892 to Huldah Hanson, a daughter of Hans Hanson, pioneer family of northern Jasper county, just south of Collins. Four children were born to this marriage, they being Genevieve, now Mrs. Glen Work of Chicago; Geraldine, now Mrs. Harry T. Roberg of Ames; Helene, now Mrs. Clayton F. Hansen of Nevada and Alfred H. Fawcett of Long Beach, California. Besides these he leaves five grandchildren, they being Max Hansen of Chicago, Jean Hansen of Los Angeles, Darlene and Roger Roberg of Ames and Shirley Fawcett of Long Beach.

He was reared on the old homestead and supplemented his preliminary education in the rural schools, by study in the high school of Collins and later took a commercial course in wheat was hen known as Leander Clark college at Toledo, from which he graduated in 1890. He learned telegraphy but gave this up to accept a position in a lumber yard at Collins where he worked for a couple of years and then entered the Exchange Bank at Collins, a private bank, as assistant cashier and bookkeeper, which position he remained in for ten years.

Following the death of the owner of the private bank he re-organized the institution an organized the Exchange State bank of which he was cashier and manager for nearly three years.

Later he served about two years as deputy county treasurer under his brother, then returned to the banking business, organizing the Peoples State Bank of Maxwell of which he had charge for a number of years, before coming to Nevada.

Besides the wife, children and grandchildren, he leaves one brother Edgar A. Fawcett of Nevada and a sister, Mrs. Jennie Robertson of Los Angeles.

Mr. Fawcett was a man of very high character and integrity, was a good citizen and idolized family head. His love of his family and home was one of his outstanding traits and one for which he will long be remembered.