FLESHER, Fred C. (1881-1945)

FLESHER

Posted By: Don Boucher (email)
Date: 1/7/2013 at 10:31:12

Obituary from an unknown newspaper on 4-11-1945, photographed from an Obituary Book at the City Library in Indianola, Warren County, Iowa, USA:

Funeral rites for Fred Cecil Flesher, 63, who died last Friday from injuries received on his farm March 31, were held Monday at 2 p.m. at the Methodist Church, in charge of the Rev. Dr. Walter M. Scheuermann of Mt. Pleasant, superintendent of the Burlington district and former pastor here, assisted by the Rev. Edwin W. Frohardt, the present minister.

How the accident occurred which caused the untimely death of Mr. Flesher will always remain a mystery. He and his son and partner, Cleo E. (Pat) Flesher, had gone over to a field south of the barn to drive a herd of cattle across a creek.

Son Discoveries Body

The son returned to the house and Mr. Flesher on his riding horse remained in the field. A short time later the son observed the riderless horse not far from a fence. He immediately went back to the field and discovered his father unconscious on the ground. It is believed that the horse may have stumbled or that Mr. Flesher was thrown from the saddle.

He was rushed to the Indianola hospital, specialists were called but he never regained consciousness. All of his children except First Lt. Charles W. Flesher, in the Italian theatre of war, were present at the time of his death.

Mr. Flesher had been a life-long resident of Warren County. At the time of his death he was buyer for the Morrell Packing Co. of Ottumwa. He had served that company, operating extensively in a dozen yards in this area, since 1934. Before that he had been buyer for Swift & Company's St. Louis, Mo., plant and for Armour & Co. of Chicago.

Came By Plane

One of Mr. Flesher's long-time employes, Don Keeney, Burbank, Calif., arrived last week by plane to attend the services. Maj. Charles L. Butler, a step-son, also came for the funeral. A cablegram was sent to Lieutenant Flesher in Italy but he was unable to come.

Stores were closed during the hour of the services out of respect to Mr. Flesher.

The Rev. Dr. Scheuermann read the following obituary at the services:

In the death of Fred C. Flesher, Warren county has lost one of its most highly esteemed and respected business men. Having become widely acquainted in this and surrounding counties, where he was buyer for one of the large packing companies and as an extensive livestock operator on his own farm, Mr. Flesher was everywhere known as a man of integrity and was recognized for his honesty in his dealings.

Native Of County

As a boy in the Palmyra community, where he was born Sept. 26, 1881, Mr. Flesher was schooled by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.A. Flesher, in those traits of character which included, not only the worth of industry and an upright business life, but also the obligation he owned to his community as a citizen.

As he grew to manhood he kept these teachings constantly before him. He learned the need and value of education as a pupil in the school at Milo, where he moved with his parents at the age of 9 years. Here he graduated from the high school in 1888, supplementing his public school education with a year in the business department of Simpson college.

Interested In Schools

It was the knowledge he attained in these two institutions that gave him a deep interest in education. He and his wife, the former Miss Minnie Hess, whom he married April 6, 1904, saw to it that their children had an opportunity for higher education. All of them were students at Simpson and one daughter, Miss Virginia Flesher, radioman 2/c in the WAVES and stationed at Washington, D.C., graduated from Simpson. Another daughter, Mrs. J. E. Hurtado, graduated from Iowa State college, Ames.

Some years after his marriage, Mr. Flesher entered a farming partnership with William Buxton jr., which endured for 10 years. He eventually bought a farm in the St. Marys community which is a part of the farm he owned at the time of his death. While there, he served for years as a member of the St. Marys school board and was also a township trustee much of that time. He moved to Indianola 12 years ago, where his wife died in 1938.

Served As Alderman

In 1937 Mr. Flesher was elected a member of the city council and served three terms. He was also a member of the county welfare board and at one time was its chairman. After moving to Milo, as a boy he became interested in the church and was active in the work of the Methodist Sunday school. He maintained that interest throughout his life, contributed to the support of the church, and recognized the value of its program to the community.

After he left college, Mr. Flesher was employed at Milo and later farmed near Lawrenceburg. He then moved to Des Moines, where he lived for a short time before returning to Warren county. In 1940, he married Mrs. Odessa Ellen Butler of Ames.

Surviving Relatives

Mr. Flesher is survived by his wife; five children: Cleo E. Flesher and Mrs. J. E. Hurtado, Indianola, Mrs. Fred Wolf, Oxford, First Lt. Charles W. Flesher, with the 5th army in Italy, and Virginia M. Flesher, radioman 2/c in the WAVES and stationed at Washington, D. C.; one step-son, Maj. Charles L. Butler, in the Panama area; two sisters, Mrs. Fred Hukill, Pleasantville, and Mrs. Clyde Sandy, Sandyville; and three brothers, Louis Flesher, Murray, Merritt Flesher, Osceola, and Gerald Flesher, Sweetwater, Texas. Two brothers, Herbert and Herschel Flesher, and two sisters, Mrs. Myrtle Schroeder and Mrs. Maude Dodson, preceded him in death. Also surviving are four grandchildren and three step-grandchildren whom he loved as his own.