William Joseph Thatcher (1861-1939)

THATCHER, NORTON, MEEKER, SAEGER

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

From Nevada Evening Journal March 24, 1939 (page 6)

Died at Fort Dodge; Buried at Zearing

Special to the Journal:
Zearing, Mar. 24--William Joseph Thatcher was born on a farm near Winterset, Iowa, on October 31, 1861. When a child his family moved to Story County, an located on a farm in Lincoln township.

He had two brothers and four sisters who have preceeded him in death.

He was united in marriage to Mae Norton on October 12, 1887 at Zearing, Iowa. They made their home near Zearing until 1906 when they moved to Cripple Creek, Colorado. In May 1918 they moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where they resided until his death.

He joined the Evangelical church at Zearing, Iowa. After moving to Fort Dodge, Iowa, he transferred to the First Methodist Episcopal church. he was a member of the Masonic Order and Modern Woodmen of America.

Mr. Thatcher is survived by his wife, his daughter, Mrs. F. J. Meeker of Chanute, Kansas, his granddaughter, Mrs. Jack Saeger, who lived with him, and seven grandsons.

Funeral services were held in Fort Dodge Tuesday forenoon at his home and then in Zearing at 3:30 Tuesday afternoon at the Evangelical church with Rev. R. E. Kerney in charge. Mrs. Jerry Hankins, Mrs. Harry Martin, G. B. Womeldorff and Glen McBride sang three songs in quartette arrangement accompanied by Mrs. Lyle Bailey at the piano. Mrs. W. C. Brouhard, Mrs. Russell Golly, Mrs. Earl Allen and Mrs. Ben Saeger, the latter of Fort Dodge arranged and cared for the flowers. The pall bearers were Zearing Masonic brothers of the deceased they being M. E. Dakins, Fred Haase, Albert Crain, W. C. Young, Fred Golly and W. H. Brown. The Masonic committal service was given by T. G. Lundy at the grave. Burial was in Zearing cemetery. Relatives from a distance attending the service were Miss Alice Belden of Marshalltown; Mrs. Ilo Beach and Mrs. Delia Golley, Mr. and Mrs. Wildman of Nevada; Mr. and Mrs. John Norton, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Saeger, Mrs. Will Thatcher, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Saeger, their son-in-law and daughters all of Fort Dodge, Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Meeker of Chanute, Kansas; Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Wessman of Oskaloosa; Mrs O. T. Farnsworth of Salt Lake City, Utah; Mr. and Mrs. Elvin Jackques of Marshalltown.