[Orth, Calvin Secrist]
Bedford Free Press
Thursday January 5, 1899 [p. 1]
THE DEATH OF C. S.
ORTH.
Well Known in Bedford,
Having Been in Business in This City a Number of Years.
Close
upon the heels of the announcement of the illness of C. [alvin] S. [ecrist]
Orth came the sad intelligence of
his death at his home in Monmouth, Ill., which occurred last Sunday morning
[January 1, 1899]. About eight weeks ago Mr. Orth returned to his home in the above city from
Bedford. He seemed to be in his usual good health, but a short time after his
arrival there he was stricken with paralysis, from which he never fully
recovered, but grew gradually worse until the day of his death.
No
man who ever did business in Bedford had more friends than Mr. Orth, the result of an exemplary life, strict business
integrity and fair and honorable dealing. His death is sincerely mourned and
deplored by a large circle of friends in this city. The funeral and interment
occurred at Mr. Orth's old
home in Keithsburg, Ill., yesterday.
C.
[alvin] S. [ecrist] Orth was 63
years and 4 months old at the time of his death. He was born in Pennsylvania,
and came west in 1856, locating at Iowa City. In 1858 he began business in
Keithsburg. In August, 1876, he began his business career in Bedford with M. A.
Weaver, and under the firm name of Orth & Weaver the business was conducted
in this city for twenty-two years. Mr. Orth leaves a wife and nine children to mourn their
irreparable loss.
[ORTH, CALVIN SECRIST]
Page County Democrat (Clarinda, Iowa), Thursday, January 5, 1899
John Orth was called to Monmouth, Ill., Sunday evening by the serious illness of his brother, C. S. Orth, who underwent a stroke of paralysis a few weeks ago and had been gradually growing worse since. He died Sunday night and was buried yesterday at Keithsburg.
[ORTH, CALVIN SECRIST]
Clarinda Journal (Clarinda, Iowa), Friday, January 6, 1899
On the sixth page of The Journal will be found an extended notice of the death at Monmouth, Ill., of C. S. Orth, a brother of John A. Orth of Clarinda. The latter was summoned to his brother on account of his illness, which proved fatal and remained to attend the funeral, which was held Wednesday at Keithsburg, Ill., at the Presbyterian church. Professor J. A. Woods, formerly of this city, was one of the pall bearers. The late Mr. Orth was in Clarinda about two months before his death and then appeared strong and healthy. He died from paralysis and his brother John thinks it resulted from an accident he received when a boy, that of getting his arm caught and hung in a large iron hook. Mrs. Fanny S. Orth, the mother of the deceased, is past 87 years of age and resides with a daughter at Gillman, Ill.
[ORTH, CALVIN SECRIST]
Clarinda Journal (Clarinda, Iowa), Friday, January 6, 1899
C. S. Orth Dead. Dies New Year's Day, 1899, At Monmouth, Ill.
Was a Brother of John A. Orth of Clarinda—Formerly in Business at Bedford, Ia.—Well Known in Two States—A Most Estimable Citizen.
Monmouth (Ill.) Gazette, Jan. 2—Yesterday afternoon at 1:10 o'clock occurred the death of Calvin S. Orth at the family residence, 519 East First avenue. Two months ago Mr. Orth returned from a business trip in the west and shortly afterwards he was taken sick, the immediate cause of his illness being a slight stroke of paralysis. For a month he was able to be up and around, but he received several more attacks of this dreadful disease and gradually became weaker. Last Wednesday he received a severe stroke from which he did not rally and after gradually becoming weaker he passed peacefully away yesterday afternoon.
Short funeral services will be held at the residence Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock and then the remains will be taken to Keithsburg, where the funeral will conducted in the Presbyterian church of that place.
Calvin S. Orth was born in Lebanon, Pa., March 20, 1835 and was the eldest of eight children born to Adam and Fanny Orth, his parents. In 1840 he moved from Lebanon to Mercersburg, Pa., where he spent his boyhood boys. While at this place he attended the Marshall & Franklin college, of which he was a graduate.
He then accepted as a position as clerk in a dry goods store and remained at this employment until the year 1856 when he came west and located at Iowa City, Ia., and embarked on the dry goods business. In 1858 Mr. Orth left Iowa City and went to Keithsburg, where he ran a store known as Orth & Co. and in a few years became proprietor of it. In 1869 Mr. Weaver of Keithsburg was taken into partnership by Mr. Orth and they moved their dry good store to Bedford, Ia., where until a year ago Mr. Orth was interested in business.
Mr. Orth and family moved to this city from Keithsburg in 1891 and this has been their home since that time. During the eight years Monmouth has been his home he has made many friends and was highly respected by the community at large. The name of C. S. Orth was familiar to many people in this part of Illinois, and he was extensively known in Iowa and elsewhere. In all business matters Mr. Orth was well versed and his good judgment and counsel were often sought by those who wished to make a business venture.
He was one of the originators of the First bank at Keithsburg and was its first cashier. This bank was started in 1870. When the Farmer's bank of Keithsburg closed its doors a year ago last spring he was appointed receiver. At the time of his death he was a director in the People's bank of this city.
In church circles he was quite active and while living in Keithsburg was a deacon in the Presbyterian church. Mr. Orth had traveled throughout the United States to a great extent and in his travels had made large investments in land, owning thousands of acres in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Minnesota and other states. He was connected with Drury, the largest land owner in the United States in some of his purchases. Mr. Orth was very much adverse to the making of a display of wealth and his business affairs were known to very few.
In 1863 he was married to Miss Fanny E. Sheriff of Keithsburg. Nine children, all of whom are living, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Orth. They are Dr. W. S., Court A. Orth of Belle Plaine, Iowa; Sallie D., Mary R., Claire Ss., Fred and Maude Orth of this city.
He has four brothers and three sisters living. They are J. A., Clarinda, Ia.; Cyrus J., Belle Plaine, Ia., Edward of Keithsburg, and Chas. A. Orth of Trenton, N. J.; Mrs. Emma E. Dietz, Gilman, Ill.; Mrs. Alice Siebert, Glenn Ridge, N. J., and Mrs. Myra Baker, Cherryvale, Kan.
[Orth, Clare Sowers]
Bedford Times-Press
Thursday October 6, 1977 p. 8
Last Rites Held Here
Sept. 29 for Clare S. Orth
Funeral
services for Clare S. [owers] Orth,
64, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, a native of Bedford, were held September 29 in
Shum-Novinger Funeral Home in Bedford conducted by Rev. C. Ray McCain. Services
were held in the Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque September 28. Mr. Orth died September 25, 1977, in Albuquerque. Taylor
Lodge No. 156 A.F. & A.M. conducted Masonic graveside services at Fairview
Cemetery, Bedford.
Clare
Sowers Orth, son of Clarence
S. [heriff] Orth and Faye I.
[rene Sowers] Orth, was born in
Bedford, Ia., February 4, 1913. He lived in Bedford and grew to maturity in
Bedford where he attended the public school and the Presbyterian Church.
A
1931 graduate of Bedford High School, Mr. Orth was graduated from Parsons College, Fairfield,
Ia., in 1935.
On
December 26,1938 he was united in marriage to Eleanor Louise Grief in Fairfield, Ia. and they lived in several
cities.
To
this union three daughters were born, Nancy Joe, Patsy Louise and Pamela Leigh.
Mr.
Orth was engaged in insurance and
real estate.
He
was a member of the Presbyterian Church, a 32 Degree Mason, a member of the
Albuquerque Kiwanis and active in the church choir.
He
was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Don, and a daughter, Nancy Joe.
Left
to cherish his memory are his wife, Eleanor; children Pamela Nelson, Patsy Duphorne and her husband, Marvin; a sister, Olive [Irene] Leonard; brother, Jack Orth; grandchild, Dante Duphorne; and sister-in-law, Harriott Christenson.
He
was a kind and considerate husband, father and friend and will be missed by all
who knew and loved him.
[Orth, Clarence
Sheriff]
Bedford Times-Press
Thursday September 9,
1943 [p. 1]
Clare S. Orth Dies At Home Monday
C.
[larence] S. [heriff] Orth, a
resident of Bedford for more than forty years, died at his home here early
Monday morning, September 6, having been in ill health for several weeks.
The
funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home at 4 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon, conducted by Rev. Archie A. Ross. Burial was made in the Fairview
cemetery this afternoon, the graveside service being conducted by Rev. G. L.
Hufstader. The body was held for interment until the day following the service,
waiting the arrival of the daughter, Mrs. George A. [llison] Leonard from California.
Clarence
Sheriff Orth was born at
Keithsburg, Illinois, on January 7, 1878. His parents were Calvin Secrist
Orth and Mary Frances Sheriff.
At
the age of fifteen the family moved to Monmouth, Illinois where he attended
high school and Monmouth College. In 1900 he came to Bedford and worked one
year in the Citizens State Bank. After ten years of farming he and his family
moved to Bedford where he had since made his home.
April
20, 1909 he was married to Faye I. [rene] Sowers.
At
an early age he joined the Presbyterian Church at Monmouth. His membership was
later transferred to the Presbyterian church of Bedford where he had been a
Deacon for several years. He took a great interest in the church, local
activities, and in those things that pertained to the civic betterment of the
community.
He
is survived by his wife, Faye Sowers Orth; three children: Clare S. [owers] Orth of Chicago, Jack S.[owers] Orth, who is serving his country overseas, and Mrs.
Olive [Irene] Leonard of Fresno,
California; two sisters, Mrs. Sallie D. Vogt and Mrs. Mary F. Dains of Monmouth, Illinois; two brothers, Paul S.
Orth of San Diego, California,
and Fred S. Orth of San
Francisco, California; and by two grandchildren.
[Orth, Court Abram]
Bedford Free Press
Thursday February 2, 1911 [p. 1]
Court Orth Passed Away.
Court
A. [bram] Orth died Wednesday
[February 1, 1911], about 11 o'clock a. m., at the hospital at Clarinda, where
he had been for about two weeks for treatment. The disease from which he
suffered was what is familiarly known as softening of the brain and
"creeping paralysis." For the past several months he has been in
Chicago with his family, where it was hoped that the disease could be treated and
medical skill and science could overthrow it. At first the indications seemed
favorable for successfully coping with it, but the last few weeks of his stay
there it was seen that nothing could be done. So about two weeks ago he was
brought back here and taken to the hospital at Clarinda for treatment. His
brother, Dr. Wm. S. [heriff] Orth,
and brother-in-law, Dr. Dains,
accompanied him, as did also his brother, Fred from Chicago. While everything that was possible
was done for him, he grew constantly worse and succumbed Wednesday forenoon.
Court
A. [bram] Orth was born in
Keithsburg, Ill., January 12, 1869, and consequently was 42 years and 20 days
old at the time of his death. His father, C. [alvin] S. [ecrist] Orth, came to Bedford many years ago and entered the mercantile
business with the late M. A. Weaver, the firm being Orth & Weaver, and were
pioneers in the business here. Later Court came here from their home in Keithsburg, Ill., and entered the
employ of the firm as a clerk. He continued with them until the firm retired
from business about twenty years ago, when he soon after went into business for
himself. He was in the mercantile business with W. B. Widner for several years,
and then took up the management of his father's estate here when he died. He
later entered the mercantile business again for himself, and eventually closed
it out. Since then he has been attending to the business of the Orth estate until ill health compelled him to abandon
that. He was a member of the city council for a term and was active and a hard
worker in that capacity. He was a member of the local lodge of Masons, and was
also a member of the Commandery at Creston. He was also a member of the
Presbyterian Church. Six years ago last September he was united in marriage to Miss
Vera Vickery, and they made
Bedford their home ever since. To this union one child, Frances Faye, was born. The wife and little daughter, an aged
mother, four brothers and three sisters remain to mourn his death. The brothers
are Dr. W. [illiam] S. [heriff], and Fred, of Chicago; Paul S.
[heriff], of San Diego,
Calif., and Clarence S. [heriff],
of this city. The sisters are Mrs. Sally [Sarah Drury] Voght, Mrs. Mary
[Rozella] Daines and, Mrs.
Maud [Alice] Field, all of
Monmouth, Ill. Aside from the relatives he leaves many friends to mourn.
His
brother, Clarence S. [heriff] went to Clarinda Wednesday and Mrs. Orth was already with the deceased at the time of his
death.
Funeral
arrangements have not been made at this writing.
[Orth, Court Abram] [Cathcart,
Andrew Jackson]
Bedford
Times-Republican
Thursday February 2, 1911 [p. 1]
PROMINENT MEN of city DEAD
Two Connected With Old
Mercantile Establishments Pass Away Within One Week
ORTH DIES AT CLARINDA
Jackson Cathcart Passes Away At Old Homestead in
Bedford—Remains Taken Away
Court
A. [bram] Orth, who was one of
the progressive citizens of Bedford from the time he came here in his early
manhood until affliction overcame him less than a year ago, died at 11 o'clock
Wednesday morning at the hospital in Clarinda, to which place he was removed
about a week before. Prior to that time he had been under the care of his
brother, Dr. Orth, in Chicago.
Mr.
Orth came here from Keithsburg,
Ill., with his father's family and took a place in the store of Orth & Weaver, where he remained as long as the firm was in existence, and later he
was associated with Capt. William Widner in the mercantile business, and after
that conducted a business alone for a time.
Mr.
Orth served several years on the
city council, giving faithful service in every position he occupied. During the
time the drilling of the deep well was in progress he gave much of his time to
this work as a member of the council committee.
During
the last year he became afflicted mentally and last summer he went to Chicago,
there being hope at that time he would recover if relieved from the strain of
business cares. He gradually became worse both mentally and physically until
his death.
Mr. Orth was born January 12, 1869. He was married six
years ago to Vera Vickery, and
they are the parents of one daughter, Frances May. Besides the wife and daughter, there are
surviving the mother, four brothers and three sisters.
___________________________________________________
Andrew
Jackson Cathcart, who was in the
mercantile business in this city for 42 years, died at his home in north
Bedford Monday morning at the age of 80 years. During the last eleven years he
had been living a retired life, and passed away in the home where he had
resided for 53 years, with his brother, J. [oseph] S.[tewart] Cathcart.
Funeral services were
held at his home Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, conducted by the Rev. S. E.
Henry, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, after which the body was taken
on the noon train to White Pigeon, Mich., where burial will take place Friday. B.
[ruce] B. Dentler of Council
Bluffs, a nephew, accompanied the remains.
Here Since 1858.
Andrew
Jackson Cathcart was born in
North Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, October 22, 1825, a son of Mr. and
Mrs. William Cathcart [Mary Burrows].
When he was 6 years of age his parents moved to Michigan and he grew to manhood
at that place. In 1858 he, with his brother, J. [oseph] S.[tewart] Cathcart, and J. [oseph] M. Windsor moved to Bedford and started into the mercantile
business. They remained in that occupation for 42 years, until 1900, when they
retired.
Organize Church in Home.
In
the Cathcart house, where the
brothers have lived during their residence in Bedford, was organized the First
Presbyterian church of Bedford, which has lived and thrived since that time.
Surviving Mr. Cathcart are his brother, J.
[oseph] S. [tewart] Cathcart of
Bedford, three nephews, B. [ruce] B. Dentler of Council Bluffs, Frank Dentler of Bloomsburg, Pa., James Dentler of Kansas City; two nieces, Miss Ida Cathcart of La Grange, Ind., Mrs. Frank Junod of Lamoure, S. D.
[Orth, Court Abram]
Bedford
Times-Republican
Thursday February 9, 1911 [p. 1]
ORTH FUNERAL FRIDAY
Last Rites Over
Remains of Prominent Bedford Man
Funeral
services over the remains of Court A. [bram] Orth, who died in Clarinda, Wednesday of last week,
were held Friday at the home in Bedford, conducted by Rev. S. E. Henry. Members
of the Masonic order attended in a body. Interment was in Fairview cemetery. In
attendance from out of the city were E. Fields, Mrs. C. S. Orth, Mrs. Irvin
Dains, and Mrs. L. [ouis] Vogt of Monmouth, Ill; Mr. and Mrs. John Orth, Mr.
and Mrs. Guy Orth, Miss Grace
Orth, Frances [?]. George Graff, Charles Orth of Clarinda, Mr. and Mrs. R. Vickery of Gravity, Ray Vickery of Grand Junction, Colo., Dr. W. S. Orth of Chicago, Cyrus Orth of Keithsburg, Ill., Ed Orth of Seaton, Ill.
[Orth, Faye Irene
Sowers]
Bedford Times-Press
Thursday October 20, 1966 p. 8
Final Rites Held Here
For Faye I. Orth
Funeral
services for Mrs. Clarence S. (Faye) Orth, 90, lifetime Bedford resident, held October 16 at the Bedford
Presbyterian Church, were conducted by Rev. John D. Kerr. Mrs. Orth died October 14, 1966, at Clarinda Municipal
Hospital. Interment was at Fairview Cemetery, Bedford.
Included
in the services was the following obituary.
Faye
Irene Orth was born on July 23,
1876 to Andrew J. [ackson] and Olive I. [rene] Carson Sowers.
She
united with the Presbyterian Church of Bedford on March 1, 1890 and had been an
active member throughout her life.
She
was united in marriage with Clarence S. [heriff] Orth on April 20, 1909, and to this union were born
four children: Donald, who
died in infancy; Clare Orth of
Albuquerque, New Mexico; Jack [Sowers] Orth of Bedford; and Olive [Irene] Leonard of Milwaukee, Wisc.
She
spent her entire life in Bedford.
She
was a member of PEO, Chapter CU for 63 years, Presbyterian Woman's Association,
Thursday Club and the Red Cross.
She
was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; a brother, Donald J. [ackson] Sowers; and a son, Donald.
Left
with memories are her three children; seven grandchildren; two great grandchildren;
a brother, [William] Leigh Sowers of Iowa City, Iowa; a sister, Mrs. Edna Tinkham of Omaha, Nebr., and a host of friends.
She
will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
[Orth, Nancy Jo]
Bedford Times-Press
Thursday April 11, 1946 [p. 1]
Nancy Jo Orth Dies In Des Moines
Nancy
Jo Orth, oldest daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Clare Orth of Des
Moines, died early Sunday morning, April 7, following a short illness with
double pneumonia. Short funeral services were held at the Dunn Funeral Home in
Des Moines Monday afternoon.
Nancy
Jo was born in Chicago September
30, 1940. Surviving with the parents is one sister, Patsy Louise.
Mrs.
Faye Orth, the paternal
grandmother, and Jack Orth of
Bedford attended the last rites. Also Dr. and Mrs. George Leonard and two sons of Marengo.
[Willis, Charles
Lewis]
Bedford Times-Press
Thursday May 25, 1944 p. 5
Charles L. Willis, 69, Former Resident Dies
Charles
L. [ewis] Willis, 69, a former
resident of Bedford, died at his home in Craig, Mo., Thursday, May 18. The last
rites were held Saturday conducted by Rev. J. A. Curry of Tarkio, Mo., and
burial was made there.
He is survived by his
wife, the former Miss Margaret Dinges of Bedford. Also by one daughter, Lucile, who is now Mrs. J. [oseph] O. Schmitz of Kansas City, and one son, Capt. Lewis V.
[ern] Willis, of Fort Knox, Ky.;
two brothers, Guy A. Willis,
of Lathrop, Mo., and Dudley L. Willis of Kansas City; one sister, Mrs. J. [oseph] H. [amilton] Riffe [Edith Willis] of Hastings, Nebr.
His
son [Charles] Neil and the first Mrs. Willis [Rilla
Stewart] died several years ago.
Mr.
Willis was in the hardware and
furniture business in Bedford for several years.
[Willis, Charles Neil]
Bedford Times-Press
Thursday June 9, 1938 [p. 1]
Neil Willis, 34, Dies At Craig, Mo.
[Charles]
Neil Willis, 34, son of C.
[harles] L. [ewis] Willis of
Craig, Mo., died at the home Friday, June 3 following an illness of about eight
days. The funeral services were held in Craig Sunday afternoon and burial was
made in the Fairview cemetery at Bedford. The body was accompanied here by Mr.
and Mrs. C. [harles] L. [ewis] Willis of Craig and their son and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Willis of Bethany, Mo. The Willis family formerly resided in Bedford.
[Willis, Margaret
Dinges]
Bedford Times-Press
Thursday October 18, 1951 p. 10
Services Are Held for Mrs.
Willis
CRAIG,
MO. — Mrs. Margaret Dinges Willis died at her home in Craig, Mo., Monday, Oct. 15, having been in
falling health the past year.
Funeral
services were held at Craig Wednesday afternoon and burial was made there. Mr.
and Mrs. John Dinges of Bedford attended the services.
Mrs.
Willis is a former resident of
Bedford. She is survived by one son, Lewis [Vern] Willis of Maryville; one daughter, Mrs. Lucile
Schmidt of Kansas City, and six
grandchildren.
[Willis, Rilla
Stewart]
Bedford Free Press
Thursday June 21, 1906 p. 2
Obituary
The
last sad rites were performed over the remains of Mrs. C. [harles] L. [ewis]
Willis, whose death was last week
chronicled in these columns, on Saturday.
The
funeral services were held from the residence at 10 o'clock Saturday forenoon
and words of comfort and consolation were spoken by Rev. Barackman. The choir
from the Presbyterian Church rendered some favorite hymns of the deceased in an
excellent manner. The pallbearers were Messrs. F. Beard, R. H. Fuller, D. Gant,
E. E. Brice, G. W. Hook and J. E. Moody.
Some
very beautiful and appropriate floral designs were sent, among them being one
from the Masonic lodge, one from the O. E. S., one from the Rebekahs and one
from the Commercial Club.
The
relatives from a distance in attendance were: J. Cade Stewart of Charleston, Mo.; Dr. R. Stewart, Powhattan, Kas., brothers of the deceased; Mr.
and Mrs. C. [harles] N. [icholas] Willis, of St. Joseph, Mo., Mrs. C. [harles] F. Lucas [Laura Willis], Robinson, Kas.; Mrs. J. [oseph] H.[amilton]
Riffe [Edith Willis], Craig, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. G. [uy] A. Willis and D. [udley] L. Willis, St.
Joseph, Mo. Sickness prevented the attendance of one brother, Dr. P. S.
Stewart, of Paducah, Ky.; and a
sister, Mrs. I. B. Hendon,
Marion, Ala.
Miss
L. Rilla Stewart was born in
Salem, Ky., October 29, 1876, and died June 13, 1906, of tuberculosis. She
moved, when quite young, with her parents to Smithland, Ky., where on June 24,
1896 she was married to C. [harles] L. [ewis] Willis, when they immediately moved to Denton, Kas.
After a residence there of about three years they moved to St. Joseph where
they resided until moving to Bedford about three years ago.
This happy union was
blessed by the arrival of two children, Lucile, aged 9 years and Neil, aged 2 years.
Interment
was had in Fairview cemetery.
[Willis, Rilla
Stewart]
Bedford Free Press
Thursday June 14, 1906 p. 8
Another Noble Mother
Gone.
About
11 o'clock Wednesday night, June 13, the angel of death again visited a happy
home in Bedford removing one of our most highly esteemed and talented young
ladies, Mrs. C. [harles] L.[ewis] Willis [Rilla Stewart].
Mrs.
Willis has been suffering for
some time with that dread disease tuberculosis, and while everything was done
that tender care and medical skill could do to stay the ravages of the disease,
frail humanity had to give up the unequal struggle and the spirit left the
tired and pain racked body as above stated.
Her
native home was in Kentucky and a few years ago she was married to Mr. C.
[harles] L.[ewis] Willis, of St.
Joseph. They moved to Bedford about four years ago where Mr. Willis has since been engaged in the hardware business. Mrs.
Willis was possessed of a
beautiful nature kind, loving and affectionate disposition and was a jewel in
the home. She was a beautiful singer and an accomplished musician and many have
been entertained by her sweet voice and charming accomplishments. She was also
an artist of rare ability and the many pictures that adorn their home are the
result of her skill with the brush. But above all these accomplishments she was
a womanly woman and in her home she was a queen. Her fondness for her children
and husband were her strongest traits and their happiness was always uppermost
in her mind. She was a good, true, pure, Christian woman and with those words
said no higher praise can be bestowed upon any one.
Two
children came to brighten their home, a little daughter, aged about ten years
and a little son aged two years With these motherless little ones and heart
broken husband the community at large is today mingling their tears of
sympathy, and may He who doeth ail things well throw His protecting mantle
about them and lighten the burden of their sorrow.
The funeral services,
while not definitely arranged will probably be held Saturday afternoon from the
residence and interment in the Bedford cemetery.
[Note: Interment at Fairview Cemetery,
Bedford, Iowa. Source: Taylor County burials]
[Willis, Rilla
Stewart]
Bedford
Times-Republican
Thursday June 14, 1906 [p. 1]
WIFE AND MOTHER CALLED.
Mrs. C. L. Willis Passes Away at 11:15 Last Night.
Mrs.
Rella [Rilla] Willis, nee Stewart,
wife of C. [harles] L. [ewis] Willis, died at her home in West Bedford Wednesday night at 11:15.
The
dread White Plague, which each year demands more sacrifices in fair America
than ever did cruel Juggernaut of the East, has claimed yet another victim,
and, as is always true, one that can least be spared. From those who have
passed the meridian of life and are nearing the last milestone, the fatal coils
of this monster are withheld; those without whom the world would be better, he
passes by in scorn, only to enmesh and crush in his deadly embrace, the
fairest, the best, the most useful. It is from among these he takes his myriads
of victims, and takes them always just in the prime and beauty of man and
womanhood.
This
time it is a wife and mother, leaving a home circle desolate, a husband bereft,
and innocent little ones to vainly yearn for a mother's love, care and caresses.
Rella [Rilla] Stewart was born October 26, 1876 in Smithland, Kentucky,
and there she spent all the years of her maidenhood. It was there she was wooed
and won by him who today stands desolate and lonely beside her bier.
The
marriage occurred in 1895, and immediately thereafter the young couple left for
the husband's Missouri home. In that state they resided for four years, moving
from there to Kansas.
Three
years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Willis moved to Bedford, and this has since been their home.
Two
children have come to bless their home, Lucile, age nine,
and little two-year-old Neal.
Of
the immediate relatives of the deceased, besides those mentioned, there are two
brothers, who reside in Kentucky, and one sister whose home is in Alabama.
During
the time Mrs. Willis has made
this her home, she has made many friends. For more than a year her health has
been failing, and she was thus prevented from mingling much in society, but all
with whom she came in contact became her friends sincere and true. She was a
neighbor, kind and accommodating, a loving wife, a devoted mother.
The
funeral will be held at the home at 10 a. m., Saturday, conducted by Rev.
Barackman. Interment at Fairview.
[Willis, Rilla
Stewart]
Bedford
Times-Republican
Tuesday June 19, 1906 p. 4
Laid to Rest.
The
funeral of Mrs. C. [harles] L. [ewis] Willis [Rilla Stewart] was held from the home in West Bedford at 10 a. m.
Saturday, Rev. Barackman delivering the funeral address. The attendance was
extremely large and the floral offerings beautiful beyond description.
The
deceased was a member of both the Rebekah and Eastern Star lodges, and while
the ceremonies were not conducted according to the lodge rituals, nearly all
the members of both orders in Bedford and vicinity were present and assisted in
performing the last sad rites over the body of their departed sister.
Among
relatives from a distance who were present were: Dr. R. Stewart of Powhattan, Kansas, and J. Cade Stewart of Charleston, Mo., both brothers of Mrs.
Willis; Mr. and Mrs. C. [harles] N. [icholas] Willis of St. Joseph, parents of Mr. Willis; D.
[udley] L. Willis and G. [uy]
A. Willis (the latter accompanied
by his wife), Mr. Willis' brothers; Mrs. C. [harles] F. Lucas [Laura Willis] of Robinson,
Kansas, and Mrs. J. [oseph] H. [amilton] Riffe [Edith Willis] of Craig, Mo., sisters of Mr. Willis.
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