Obituaries
submitted by: Julia Johnson - julia.johnson63@gmail.com
 

[Burgher, Mary Maude McCarty]

Bedford Times-Press

Wednesday      September 20, 1995

MARY MAUDE BURGHER

Mary Maude (McCarty) Burgher was born in Ringgold County, Iowa on August 3, 1897, to Prudence (Clewell) and William R. McCarty.  

She attended grade school in that area and Eureka Methodist Church. Later the family moved to a homestead in Montana and there she married Pearl Burgher. To this union seven children were born; Lyle, Howard, Hazel, Harold (who died at birth), Doris, C.W. (Bill), and Donald.

They farmed in the Delphos -Maloy - Blockton - Clearfield area before retiring to Gravity in 1971.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 65 years, two brothers, one sister and one half-brother; three sons and one granddaughter.

She is survived by two sons, Howard of Marshalltown and C.W. (Bill) of Scribner, NE.; two daughters, Hazel McKinley of Clear Lake, Iowa and Doris Drake of Mt. Ayr, Iowa and one sister, Gladys Reynolds of Mt. Ayr, Iowa; 25 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren and several great great grandchildren.

She was a lifetime member of the Blockton Order of Eastern Star.

She was a homemaker and partner   in   farming   with her husband.

Novinger-Taylor        Funeral Home     was     in     charge     of arrangements.

[Irvin, Robert Loren]

Bedford Times-Press

Wednesday      September 20, 1995

ROBERT LOREN IRVIN

 Robert Loren Irvin was born at Athelstan, Iowa, September 20, 1909 and died September 13, 1995 at the age of 85.

He was the son of Egbert Eugene Elias and Winnie Addie Belle (Smith) Irvin. He was married in Maryville, MO. February 5, 1941 to Madelene Fluke. He lived and farmed in the Taylor County area for a number of years and retired and moved to Bedford.  

He was preceded in death by his wife, Madelene; three brothers, Frank Irvin, Guy Irvin and Elmer Irvin; four sisters, Edith Irvin, Mable Smith, Anna Brumfield Black, and Zola Maness.

Left to cherish his memory are four daughters, Kathryn Irvin, Bedford; Barbara Alberts Riggs, Des Moines; Judith   Ludwick, Newton; and Patricia Weber, Des Moines; six grandchildren, Frederick Alberts, Nancy Alberts, Clarisa Ludwick, Robert Ludwick, Loren Weber, and Daniel Weber; two great grandchildren, Adam Alberts and Alex Alberts; three son-in-laws, many nephews, nieces and a host of friends.

He was a kind and patient father, grandfather   and   great grandfather and will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Services were held September 16, 1995 at Novinger-Taylor Funeral Home in Bedford. Interment in Platteville Cemetery.

[Jenkins, John Elmer  “Johnnie”]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday      August 13, 1903      [p. 1]

BY THE LIGHTNING'S FLASH. A VERY SUDDEN SUMMONS

John Jenkins Instantly Killed By a Stroke of Lightning While Walking Along the Railroad Track.

John A. [Elmer] Jenkins, the fourteen-year- old son of [Winfield] Scott Jenkins of Athelstan, met instant death yesterday afternoon by lightning. John and his younger brother were engaged in putting up hay on the Great Western right-of-way just below Athelstan, and having completed the work were returning home. They were coming up the track, John being a few feet in advance of his brother, when the bolt came. It was a bolt of much force. The lad's hat was torn to pieces, the hair was burnt from the side of his head and his breast, over the heart, showed evidence of the subtle agent of death which passed to the ground through the right leg, showing that at the instant his right foot was on the ground, making the connection between air and earth.

Both boys were carrying forks on their shoulders. The younger brother and a dog that was close by were neither more than slightly shocked.

John A. was a boy of excellent character and possessed of more than ordinary judgment and discretion. He was a favorite with his schoolmates and respected by young and old. The family have the sympathy of all in their sudden and great bereavement. —Blockton News.

[Johnson, Catherine Lawrence]

Blockton News

Thursday      January 31, 1918     [p. 1]

Obituary

Mrs. Chas. Johnson was born in in Pike County, Pennsylvania, Jan. 25, 1853, and passed away at her at Ladysmith, Wisconsin, [January 25, 1918].

Mrs. Johnson’s maiden name was Catherine Lawrence. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Two children, a boy and girl, preceded the mother to the great beyond and are buried in tho Platteville cemetery. The surviving children are Mrs. Leslie Murray, of southwest of town, and a son who is now in the United States army.

Mrs. Johnson was a member of the Methodist church.

The remains were brought to Blockton on train No. 1 Sunday and taken to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Leslie Murray. The funeral services were held from tho Platteville church Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock, conducted by Rev. E. J.  Laird, and interment was made in the Platteville cemetery.

[Note: The birth date given on her gravestone is Mar. 11, 1863.]

[Kammerer, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Shafer]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday      March 12, 1959      p. 4

Former Resident Buried At Platteville Cemetery

Mrs. Lizzie Kammerer, 60, died Saturday night Feb. 28 at a Nebraska City hospital, result of a cerebral hemorrhage. She had been in failing health the past year.

She was born December 7, 1898 at Blockton, daughter of John L. and Lillian Cobb Shafer.

On July 23, 1927 she was married at Clarinda to Orval R. [oy] Kammerer. The family lived four years at Lockwood, Mo., before moving to Plattsmouth, Nebr., in 1947, where they had since made their home.

There is surviving her death the husband, Orval, of Plattsmouth; a son Eldon Lee, ot Plattsmouth; two daughters, Mrs. Ruth Agnes Favors and Mrs. Edith Hawley, both of Plattsmouth; six grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Maggie Scroggie of Blockton.

Mrs. Kammerer was a member of the Christian church in her childhood home in Iowa.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 3 at 10 a.m. a t the chapel of the Caldwell-Linder funeral home with Rev. Melvin Shafer of the Mynard Evangelical and United Brethren church officiating.

Burial was at the Platteville cemetery near Bedford.

[King, Aden D.]

Blockton News

Thursday     June 28, 1917     [p. 1]

A. D. King Dead

A message was received yesterday by relatives stating that A. [den] D. King had passed away at his home at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Tuesday evening. Mr. King was a brother of David King of this place and had been superintendent of the National Cemetery at Baton Rouge for several years.

[King, Albert Edgar]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday     January 31, 1924      p. 5

Obituary—Dr. King

Dr. Albert Edgar King, son of Thomas and Louise J. [ane Moore] King, was born at Burlington, Coffey County, Kansas, May 31, 1858 and passed away at his home in Blockton January 16, 1924, aged 65 years, 7 months and 16 days.

Thomas King, father of deceased, came to Iowa with his parents, Isaac King and wife in 1839, when he was three years of age. Later the family located in Jefferson township, Taylor county, where the young man (Thomas) engaged in teaching school, teaching the first term of school at Platteville and where he was united in marriage to Louise J. [ane] Moore, a native of the county.

When Dr. King was two years of age, or in 1860, his parents moved back to Jefferson Township, locating at Platteville. He spent his boyhood and youth in the township, acquiring his early education in the common schools. He taught a number of terms of school in the vicinities of Athelstan and Platteville. Later he decided to make the medical profession his life work and consequently pursued a course of study in the Keokuk Medical College from which he graduated with the class of ’81. He immediately opened an office for practice at Redding where he remained until 1894, in which year he came to Blockton where he has since been engaged in the general practice of medicine, with the exception of a few years spent in further study. He graduated from the Hospital College of Medicine at Louisville, Kentucky, in 1894. He also took a postgraduate course at the Chicago Polyclinic in 1908, and also took special courses in New York City and other cities at different times. He was thus well equipped for the practice of his profession and ranked high among the able physicians of Taylor county, being well known as one of the oldest practitioners of Blockton and the locality, his circle of acquaintances, friends and patrons extending for a radius of many miles. He built up a very large practice, his extensive patronage coming to him as an expression of the trust and confidence reposed in him by the general public. He was constantly broadening his knowledge by study and research, recognizing fully the obligations that fall upon the physician, and kept abreast of the progress made in the medical world through his membership in the State Medical association, the Missouri Valley Medical association, the American Medical association, the Tri-State Medical association, the Medical Society of the United States, and the County Medical societies.

Dr. King was a friend of man. He always gave liberally and cheerfully to those in need. The night was never too dark, the day too cold to keep him from attending those who were suffering and in distress and demanding his attention His greatest ambition was to help others—money was no object to him. He lived for the good he could do his fellowmen. A great man is gone—one who will be greatly missed. The people of Taylor, Ringgold and Worth counties join the relatives today in mourning his departure.

Dr. King was twice married. In 1878 he was united in marriage to Miss Ida May Castor, a native of Missouri. She passed away February 4, 1891, leaving, besides her husband to mourn her loss, one son, Dr. T. [homas] W. [ayne] King, now a practicing physician at Lamoni. They also lost one son, Joseph D., who died at the age of three years. In November, 1893, Dr. King was united in marriage to Miss Lydia J. [ane] Shuff, a resident of Worth county, Missouri, who survives him. To this union three children were born—Alberta Belle, who died at the age of two years; Cecil Valentine, who is completing his interne service in Des Moines previous to beginning the practice of medicine, and Ruth Madeline, who is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is at present at home. He also leaves one sister, Mrs. Frank Wisdom, of Bedford, and two grandchildren, Madolyn and Albert Wayne King of Lamoni, and many other relatives.

Dr. King held membership in Bethany Lodge No. 320, A. F. & A. M., being initiated on April 1, 1898; passed on July 21, and raised on September 20, of the same year. He had been a member of Blockton Lodge No. 363, Knights of Pythias, since March 22, 1898. He was also a member of the Modern Woodmen of American and the Yeoman order.

"There is no death; the stars go down

To rise upon some fairer shore,

And bright in Heaven's jeweled

crown

They shine forevermore."

* *

Among those from out of town being present during his last illness or attending the funeral were Dr. T. [homas] W. [ayne] King and family of Lamoni; Cecil V.[alentine] King and wife of Des Moines; Frank Wisdom and wife, D. F. Wisdom and wife, and Len Maxwell and in wife, of Bedford; Faye D. Wisdom of Corning; Mrs. M. F. Price of Bolckow; Mrs. Mary Mohler and J. S. Miller and wife, of Redding; W J. Golding, of Kansas City; C M. King and wife and R. C. King and wife of Athelstan; Herman King of College Springs; Theron King of Elmo. Mo.; Weldon Laughlin and Mrs. Richardson of Des Moines; I. R. Shroyer and wife of Mt. Ayr. The following physicians were present at the funeral, Dr. Watson of Diagonal; Drs. Beauchamp, Rimel and Gasson of Bedford; Drs. Phipps and Ross of Grant City; Dr. Fullerton of Redding, and Dr. Miller of Blockton.

The funeral services were held from the home at 1:30 Friday afternoon. Dr. David J. Shenton, of Winterset, and a former pastor of the Blockton Methodist church, delivered the sermon, using as his text the latter part of the 17th verse of the second chapter of Revelation---“And will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.” The pallbearers were J. P. Minor, H. L. Carr, B. A. Wolfe, Wm. Ewart, R. J. Carr and Rew Keenan. The Knights of Pythias order had charge of the services at the home. The Masonic order conducted the services at the grave in the Platteville cemetery. — Blockton News

[KING, ALBERT EDGAR]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, January 17, 1924
Dr. A. E. King Dead
Dr. A. [lbert] E. [dgar] King of Blockton died yesterday as a result of a stroke of paralysis. He had been ailing for some time. He was an honored member of the Taylor County Medical Association and had practiced his profession at Blockton for about 30 years. Mrs. Frank Wisdom of this city is his sister.
The funeral will be held tomorrow (Friday) at 2 o'clock in Blockton.

[KING, ALBERT EDGAR]
Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, January 24, 1924
ATHELSTAN – C. M. King and R. C. King attended the funeral of Dr. A. E. King at Blockton Friday.
E. R. Adams and J. M. Adams were among those from here who attended the funeral of Dr. A. E. King at Blockton Friday.

 

[King, Charles W.]

Blockton News

Thursday     March 25, 1926    [p. 1]

Chas. W. King Dead

Chas. W. King passed away Saturday evening at his home at 972 West 22nd Street, Des Moines, after an illness of about four weeks. His son, Myron P. [aul] King, and brother, P. [ercy] E. King, drove to Des Moines Saturday afternoon, called there by his critical condition. He passed away soon after their arrival.

About four weeks ago Mr. King was taken quite ill with kidney trouble while at work, the attack coming on quite suddenly, and he had to be taken home by his employer. He had been feeling fine before the attack came on.

The body was brought to Blockton on the early train Monday morning and the funeral services were held at Platteville Tuesday afternoon. Interment was made in the Platteville cemetery.

[King, Charles W.]

Blockton News

Thursday     April 1, 1926     p. 4

Obituary

Chas. W.  King was born near Platteville, Iowa, August 14,1863, and departed this life in Des Moines March 20, 1926, aged 62 years, 7 months and 6 days.

He was united in marriage to Ida M. [ay] Williams April 6, 1886. To this union was born two children, Mrs. Hazel Brown and Myron P. [aul] King, both of Blockton. His companion departed this life March 13, 1923. He was again united in marriage to Nettie Wiley, Jan. 21, 1924.

Besides his wife and children, he leaves four brothers and one sister to mourn his departure, as follows: C. [assius] M. King, of Athelstan; Percy King, of Blockton; Ellis King, of Westphalia, Kansas; Art King, of Bedford, and Mrs. Mary Hartt [Hart], of Blockton. He also leaves eight grandchildren.

He was brought to the home of his daughter, about four miles north of Blockton, and the funeral services were conducted from the Platteville church March 23 by Challie E. Graham, assisted by Harold V. Reeves of the Blockton Christian church, and the remains interred in the Platteville cemetery. The music was furnished by the Blockton quartette, composed of Glenn Dennis, George Schoenmann, Mrs. Harold V. Reeves and Mrs. M. E. Roof, with Mrs: Matie Miller presiding at t he piano.

The many friends extend their sympathy to the bereaved ones in this hour of sorrow. We commend them to the kind loving Father and pray that His richest blessings may accompany them to comfort their grief stricken hearts and guide them safely home.

[King, Ida May Williams]

Blockton News

Thursday     March15, 1923    [p.  1]

Mrs. C. W. King Dead

Mrs. C. [harles] W. King passed away at her home north of town Tuesday morning about 3 o'clock after a week's illness with pneumonia. Funeral services will be held at the home today (Thursday) conducted by Challie E. Graham, and interment, will be made.in the Platteville cemetery.

[King, Ida May Williams]

Blockton News

Thursday     March 22, 1923    [p. 1]

Obituary

Ida M. [ay] Williams was born June 24, 1867, and departed from this life at her home about four miles north of Blockton, March 12, 1923, aged 55 years, 8 months and 18 days.

She was united in marriage to Charles W. King April 6,1886. To this union two children were born, Mrs. Hazel Brown and Myron [Paul] King, both of whom together with her companion, survive her. She also leaves seven grandchildren, and one brother and two sisters, Charles E. Williams, of Arvada, Colorado; Mrs. Lizzie Black, of Sheridan, Mo., and Mrs. Ira Streeter, of Ohio, besides many other relatives and friends.

She united with the Baptist church at Mt. Zion several years ago, and was a faithful Christian woman, loving companion, kind mother, and good neighbor.

The funeral services were conducted at the hone March 15 by Challie E. Graham, and the remains laid to rest in the Platteville cemetery.

The sorrowing family have the heartfelt sympathy of the many friends. May the kind Heavenly Father comfort and bless them and may they follow Jesus home to the land of love and light and life and glory.

[King, Lydia Jane Shuff]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday      September 18, 1952    [p. 1]

Mrs. Lydia King Died In California

Mrs. Lydia King, 88, former resident of Bedford and Blockton, died in Los Angeles, Sept. 16. The body is being flown to Omaha and will be brought to Bedford. Funeral services will be held at the Wetmore Funeral Home at 2 p. m., Saturday, Sept. 20, with burial in Platteville cemetery.

Mrs. King is survived by two children, Mrs. Paul Parrish and D [r]. Cecil King, both of Los Angeles. Her husband, Dr. A. [lbert] E. [dgar] King, formerly of Blockton, died several years ago.

Dr. Cecil King, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Parish are driving through to Bedford and are expected here sometime Friday.

[King, Lydia Jane Shuff]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday      September 25, 1952    [p. 1]

Mrs. Lydia King Buried Saturday

Lydia Jane King, daughter of [Mary] Melvina [Hathaway] and Gaddis Shuff, was born in Worth county, Mo., Oct. 28, 1865, and died In Los Angeles, Calif., Sept. 16, 1952, at the age of 86 years, 10 months, 18 days.

She was married to Dr. Albert E. [dgar] King Nov. 2, 1893. Dr. King was a practicing physician in Blockton until he died in January 1924. Following the death of her husband, Mrs. King continued to reside in Blockton until 1941, when she moved to Bedford for a few years then went to California to be with her children.

Mrs. King was the mother of three children. Alberta, the oldest, passed away in 1896 when two years of age. The other two, Dr. Cecil V. [alentine] King and Mrs. Paul Parrish live Los Angeles. She is also survived by three grandchildren, David King, Jim and Martha Parrish, all of Los Angeles; one brother, James K. Miller of Redding, Iowa.

Mrs. King united with the Christian church when just a girl but all during her active life she attended and worked in the Methodist church. She was a charter member of the Order of Eastern Star at Blockton and of the American Legion Auxiliary there.

Funeral services were conducted at the Wetmore Funeral home In Bedford, Sept. 20, by Rev. Robt.  M. Peters of the Bedford Methodist church. Burial was in the Platteville cemetery, with the Blockton chapter, O. E. S., giving the O. E. S. burial service at the grave.

 

[Gunson, Mary Ople Waterman]

Bedford Times-Press

Wednesday      June 18, 1986     p. 6

Services held for Mary Ople Gunson

Funeral services were held for Mary Ople Gunson, on June 15 at the Bedford Baptist Church. Burial was at Fairview Cemetery. Reverend Ted DeHass and Reverend Carl Cummings officiated.

Ople Waterman Gunson, daughter of John Waterman and Minnie Steele Waterman was born March 3, 1907 and departed this life June 12, 1986 at Denver, Colorado at the age of 79 years 3 months and 9 days.

She grew to maturity in the Bedford community where she attended the public school and the Baptist Church. She was graduated from Bedford High School in 1925 and taught in the rural school for three years and later she was graduated from Iowa State Teachers College (now North Iowa University) at Cedar Falls, Iowa and taught at Lett's High School at Lett's, Iowa for two years.

On August 11, 1932 she was united in marriage to Frank Gunson and they lived on a farm west of Bedford a few years before purchasing a farm east of Bedford where they lived until Frank passed away March 15, 1973. She then moved to Bedford, Iowa where she has continued to reside.

To this union two children were born, Joe Gunson on Sept. 14, 1938 and Janet Gunson on June 30, 1941.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Muriel Waterman.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Joe Gunson and his wife Judy of Denver, Colorado and Janet and her husband, John Whitten of Denver, Colorado; a grandson Jeff of Charlotte, N.C.; a brother Beryl Waterman and his wife Laura of Kansas City, Mo.; a sister-in-law Ruth Gunson Barks of Bedford, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Ople was a member of the Baptist Church for over 60 years and she was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Bedford Chapter #228.

Her family and friends will long remember her as a kind and considerate loved one and she will be sadly missed by all who knew her.