George Wiley BEVERIDGE

BEVERIDGE, GRACEY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/23/2016 at 21:52:00

December 7, 1896 --- December 22, 1976

Funeral Services For Former Clarion Publisher

Funeral services were held in Washington and at the First United Presbyterian Church in Williamsburg, Friday for G. Wiley Beveridge, long-time Iowa publisher and former president of the Iowa Press Association. Mr. Beveridge, 80, had suffered with leukemia for about two months and died Wednesday, December 22, 1976 at the Washington County Hospital.

He had been publisher of the Journal-Tribune from 1957-74 and prior to that was publisher of the Wright County Monitor, Clarion, from 1949-57 and of the Sumner Gazette, 1930-47. Born in Somonauk, Ill., on December 7, 1896, he was a native of Goldfield, Iowa, where he graduated from high school in 1915. It was from the Goldfield Chronicle (now defunct) that Mr. Beveridge learned the printing trade when he went to work for the hand-set newspaper in 1911. On the urging of the local United Presbyterian minister, he enrolled at Monmouth College, Monmouth, Ill., in 1916 where he received his degree in history and economics in 1921. He spent about 18 months off from college in 1918 and 1919 when he was in the Navy at the end of World War I. He served as a yeoman (Office clerk) aboard the USS Santa Olivia, which engaged mainly in bringing U.S. servicemen back from France. He worked at Aledo Times Record at Aledo, Illinois for three months; was manager of the printing plant for Brown, Lynch, Scott Company, Monmouth, Illinois, a mail order company, for eighteen months; was manager-editor of a paper at Princeville, Illinois, for three years; was manager-editor of the Lacon Home Journal at Lacon, Illinois, for four years.

He married the former Margaret Gracey in 1928, the two having met at Monmouth College. In 1930, Mr. Beveridge bought a half interest in the Sumner Gazette with Charles O'Neil. He bought out O'Neil in 1940. After working for the Iowa City Press-Citizen for a year in 1948, Beveridge bought the Wright County Monitor in 1949 in partnership with Paul Lindemeyer. He purchased the Journal-Tribune in 1957 and operated it with his wife and son, Reid (in later years) until it was sold in 1974. In 1962, Mr. Beveridge was elected to the board of directors of the Iowa Press Association, and served as president of the organization in 1970-71. He was named Iowa Master Editor-Publisher in 1973, the state's highest honor for an editor.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret, 33 Elm Lane, Washington, Ia., and by his son, Reid, Stoughton, Wis. Also surviving are three brothers. He was preceded in death by a brother and two sisters. Dr. William Kettlitz of the United Presbyterian Church, Washington, was in charge of the prayer service there. The Reverend Sherwood H. Roser and Reverend Charles Pendleton officiated at the service in Williamsburg. Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery, Williamsburg.

December 30, 1976
Wright County Monitor --- Clarion, Iowa