Martha Eleanor Bales (1874-1949)

BALES, BOLT, BORDMAN, CLARK, FORBES, GRANDEL, JACKSON, PENDLETON, SHEROD, SYFERT, TOPPING

Posted By: Volunteer Paul French
Date: 2/5/2007 at 19:55:47

Martha E. Bales
Paid Final Tribute

Martha Eleanor Bales, for 20 years a resident of Covina, died July 7, at Covina hospital after a 12-day illness. She was 75.

Born near Mt. Zion, Iowa, June 3, 1874, Mrs. Bales spent her early life there and in Keosauqua, Iowa. In 1901 she married Robert W. Forbes of Saguache, Colo.

To this union were born six children of which four are left to survive her, Mont. A. Forbes, Dorothy E. Grandel, Bernardine G. Clark, all of Covina, and Bordman Forbes of Azusa.

She returned to Birmingham, Iowa, after the death of her husband in 1917. Here she made her home until her marriage to John S. Bales of Covina in 1924. Covina has been her home except for four years spent at Huntington Beach.

Early in life she became a member of the Presbyterian church to which faith she was continuously subscribed. She was a member of La Paloma Chapter No. 202, Order of the Eastern Star and of the Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, Corinthian Shrine No. 39.

Left to mourn her passing are two brothers and one sister, Amos Sherod of Des Moines; Clayton D. Sherod and Mrs. Sam Topping of Birmingham, Iowa; and four grand-children, Mrs. Wayne Pendleton and Donald Bolt of Covina and Charles and James Forbes of Azusa.

Her father and mother, two brothers, Charles and Bordman Sherod, and two sisters, Zadie Jackson and Mary Syfert predeceased her.

Services were conducted at Custer and Christiansen chapel last Saturday with interment in Oakdale Memorial cemetery.

The Rev. Paul C. McFarlin, assisted by Geroge Wayne Pendleton, presided over ceremonies. Soloist was William Davis who sang “The Home Over There” and “The City Four Square.” Interment was under the auspices of the Eastern Star.

Pallbearers were Leland Pendleton, Ernest Haber, Charles Meyers, William Sele, Elmer McClay, and Leslie Pancost.

Source: undated newspaper clipping contained in “Family History” of the Barker, Sherod, and Forbes families and descendants compiled by Bernadine Forbes Clark, December 1980.