Richard J. "Dick" Fitch (1850-1934)

FITCH, MOYER, KENT, EDWINSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11

From Nevada Evening Journal December 3, 1934 (page 3)

R. J. Fitch Laid to Rest Sunday

Funeral services for the late Richard J. Fitch, 84, who died at his home, 1020 Tenth street, at an early hour Friday, November 30, were held Sunday afternoon at Memorial Lutheran church, with Dr. J. O. Simon in charge.

Burial was in the family lot at Johnson Grove cemetery, where the first wife and a number of children are buried.

Mrs. J. O. Simon sang two numbers "Sweet Mystery of Life" and "No Night There."

Pallbearers were Wm. Coxworth, C. E. Markland, Chas. Chaffin, Everett Fitch, J. T. Anderson and Chris Nelson. The flowers were in charge of Mrs. Minnie Cessna and Mrs. L. F. Martin.

The death of Mr. Fitch on Friday morning was at the end of a long invalidism, five years of which he had been confined to his bed. During that long period he had been cared for by his wife and two step daughters, Mrs. Sivrie Kinsey and Mrs. Sena Hudson.

Richard J. Fitch was born May 13, 1850 at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, a son of E. H. and Ann Fitch. The family came to Iowa when Richard was but a year and a half old and settled in Clayton county.

He was married to Nellie Moyer of Elkader, November 24, 1870 and to this union eleven children were born, two of whom survive the parents. Six of the children died in infancy. Those surviving are Mrs. Anna Kent of Winnebago, Minn., and Aaron Fitch of near Maxwell. Three sons Frank H., Elbert and Richard H. grew to manhood and passed away in Story county.

A few years after their marriage they came to Story county and during the early '80s, the years of construction of the Milwaukee railroad through this part of the state, Mr. Fitch worked as a bridge foreman. Later he located on a farm northeast of Nevada and there he lived until 1914. Mrs. Fitch passed away November 16, 1913 and shortly after that time he retired from the farm and moved into Nevada, where he was married in July to Mrs. Bertha Edwinson.

The wife with the sons Aaron and daughter Mrs. Kent, 11 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, a brother Oscar Fitch of Santa Barbara, Calif., and sister Hannah Fitch of Ohio, survive him.

LeRoy Kent of 513 Eighth street is included among the grandchildren.

Among the relatives who were here from a distance for the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Rasmus Rasmusson of Marshalltown, Mrs. Emma Edwinson of Ames, Charles Fitch of Lake Crystal, Minn., Ed Edwinson of Ames, Mr. and Mrs. E. H Fitch, Des Moines, Everett Fitch, New Providence, Mrs. Sam Oglivie of Mason City, Mrs. Evalina Rhoades and Maxine Rhoades of Marshalltown, Mrs. R. L. Winders, Betty and Ray of Marshalltown, Mrs. Lan Center of Estherville and Mrs. Lizzie Edwinson of Marshalltown.