Robert E. Wilson

WILSON, RINABARGER, PAGE

Posted By: Jean Wenke, volunteer
Date: 3/20/2009 at 18:41:43

Obit from the McDonough Democrat of Bushnell, Ill.

Robert Edwin Wilson was born in Bonaparte, Van Buren county, Iowa August 22, 1879, being the third child of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wilson. He passed away at the Masonic Hospital at Bettendorf, Iowa, Friday morning, June 26th, 1941.

Funeral services were held in the Presbyterian church at Bonaparte Sunday.

Mr. Wilson had never belonged to any church, but prior to coming to Illinois, he attended the Presbyterian church in his home town.

He came to Bushnell On November 23, 1919 to work for Chas. C. Chain in which shop he was employed for twelve years. In later years, when his health permitted he worked under the present editor, Geo. L. Chain.

Due to his physical condition he was of a retiring nature and lived mostly to himself, avoiding crowds.

He made many acquaintances among the older folks in Bushnell.

Mr. Wilson's father was a potter, by trade, in Iowa; also he had been a soldier in the Civil War, belonging to Co. I, 8th Ill, of which he held posts of Major and Captain. He died many years ago, as did also Mr. Wilson's mother. Two half sisters preceded him in death. Surviving are a brother, T. W. Wilson, Independence, Mo., and a sister, Mrs. H. B. Rinabarger and a nephew, Don Rinabarger, Peoria, Ill., and a nephew, H. C. Page, Farmington, Iowa.

Having learned, on a small scale, the printer's trade, under A. G. Roberts, at Bonaparte, Iowa, he followed that line to the end, but in the past several years his eyesight began to fail, so he did little work in the print shop, although he had continued to help out on press days, since it was hard to give up the work he loved so much to perform.

Mr. Wilson joined the Masonic lodge at Bonaparte, Iowa, several years before coming to Illinois, being a member of Bonaparte Lodge of Masons, No 73. At one time, during several months he lived at Red Oak, Iowa, he was employed in the printing department of the Murphy Calendar Co., there. Before learning to "stick type" Mr. Wilson was employed several years in the Meek Bros., Tailor Shop in Bonaparte, Iowa, until it went out of business.

Mr. Wilson was never married. He had carried a great physical disability all his life which caused his retiring ways and which he tried so hard to overcome, but could never forget his great trouble which made him depressed much of the time in later years.