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

[William Hughes]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    February 17, 1944    p. 7

William Hughes

William Hughes, one of ten children born to Rev. Jeremiah and Amy Newton Hughes, was born Dec. 14, 1863, at Red Oak, Iowa.  When two months of age he came with his parents to Taylor County, which had been home to him from then on, with the exception of short periods of time when the family lived in nearby towns where his father was pastor.

He was married to Miss Maggie Short in March of 1893.  To them two children were born, Mrs. Bessie Reynolds, deceased, and Jay S. Hughes of Los Angeles.  His wife died in April 1898.

On February 24, 1904, he was married to Mrs. Cora Johnson.  To them two children were born, Doris and Dale.  His kind and fatherly care was also exerted over his two stepdaughters, Mrs. Jessie Denton now deceased and Mrs. Inez Delles, to whom he endeared himself as to his own children.

By his devotion and kindness to his loved ones and his neighborly and friendly disposition, he has endeared himself to a large circle of friends and neighbors.  His industry as a farmer and his fidelity to the principles of honesty gained for him the respect and admiration of all who knew him.  In early life he became a member of the Methodist church and through life his faith in the Lord has been his ideal, strength and comfort.

Until 6 years ago, Mr. Hughes continued his farming operations and then, because of failing health, he moved to Bedford.  He died at his home in Bedford February 8, 1944, at the age of 80 years, 1 month and 25 days.

He is survived by his wife, his children, Jay S. Hughes of Los Angeles, Mrs. Doris O'Dell and Dale Hughes of Bedford, and Mrs. Inez Delles of Hastings, Nebr.; 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild, who were especially dear to their grandfather; one brother, Isaac Hughes of Conway; two sisters, Miss Inza Hughes of Conway and Mrs. Eva McGee of Fargo, Okla.

Funeral services were conducted at the Walker & Shum Funeral Home Friday afternoon, Feb. 11, 1944, by Rev. Z. M. Bressler of Gravity.  Burial was in the Conway cemetery.

[James Stewart Taylor]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    November 11, 1976

"30"

After "going to press" at the regular time last week, the Editor and Publisher of the Times-Press, James Stewart Taylor, answered the final "30" and quietly died in the Clarinda Municipal Hospital early Thursday morning, Nov. 4, 1976.

A memorial service was held in the Bedford United Methodist Church on Saturday, Nov. 6, conducted by Rev. Dwayne E. Madsen, his pastor.

Editor Taylor was a third generation "newspaper man" and was born April 8, 1913, at Fairfield, Iowa, the son of editor Dean Taylor and Jessie Minneley Taylor.  His grandfather, B. J. Taylor, had published a newspaper in Warren, Ohio and Fairfield.  Jim attended school in Fairfield and was graduated from the Fairfield High School in 1931.  He was graduated from Parsons College, Fairfield, Ia., in 1931, with an A. B. degree.   He studied several summers at the University of Iowa at Iowa City.  He played both basketball and football during his school career, winning several letters.

The editor started a school teaching career at Coin, Iowa in 1935, going from there to Audubon in 1938.  While teaching at Audubon, he was united in marriage to a fellow teacher, Marjorie Long, in 1940, and they established their home in Audubon.   In 1943 he was inducted into the U. S. Air Force in World War II and served his country as a photographer and photo lab technician in England, France and Belgium, participating in the "Battle of the Bulge".

After the war the Taylors established their home in Bedford, where he soon entered the Bedford School system, and served as the principal of the Bedford High School.  During his teaching career he specialized in coaching dramatics, speech and journalism, literature being his major---the writings of Benjamin Franklin being one of his favorite teaching courses.

The past summer he enjoyed attending numerous class reunions of his former students and was deeply concerned, and interested, to see them continue in learning and succeed in life.

For several summers he assisted the then publisher of the Times-Press, A. W. Hamblin, "put-out-the-paper," while "Ham" traveled.  Quite naturally then, in 1961, he laid aside the teacher's chalk, and published the Times-Press weekly newspaper continually, except for the times that he was in hospitals overcoming his health problems, and even then "kept in touch" and sent clippings and notes about next week's issue.  He seemed to go "overboard" on one type of news reporting---which is every editor's right---and that was any freckled faced kid or senior citizen could get his picture in the "T-P" if he caught a big enough fish.  Fishing had been one of his favorites . . . when he had the time.

Deeply aware of the community needs he had taken part in as many civic projects as he could, having helped on the planning Board of the Towns and Country Medical Center, the Bedford Development Club Board, charter member of Lions Club, the United Methodist Church, the V. F. W. and served several terms on the Board of Trustees of the Bedford Public Library.

Survivors include his wife, Marjorie; one brother, Ben J. Taylor, of Fairfield; brother-in-law, Reginald Long, Lancaster, Calif.; and a cousin, Mrs. Gertrude Taylor Whitted, of Fairfield.

[Joseph Glenn Butts]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    November 18, 1976

Last Rites Held November 14 For Glenn Butts, 85

Funeral services for Joseph Glenn Butts, 85, of Bedford, held November 14 at Shum-Novinger Funeral Home, were conducted by Pastor Carter Smith and Carl Cummings.  Mr. Butts died November 11, 1976, at Clarinda Municipal Hospital.  Interment was at Fairview Cemetery, Bedford.

Glenn Butts, son of James Walker and Sarah Payton Butts, was born at a farm, six miles south of Bedford, Iowa, on August 31, 1891.

He lived in Ross Township, Taylor County, and grew to maturity in the same community where he attended the public school and the Methodist Church.

On October 17, 1917, he was united in marriage to Roe Ethel Thompson at Creston and they lived in Ross Township, Taylor County.  No children were born to this union.

He chose farming as his vocation and upon retirement enjoyed gardening at his home in Bedford.

Glenn was preceded in death by his parents; his four sisters, Pearl Butts, Alice Thummel, Linnie Butts and Ora Hughes; and his brother, Ray Butts.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Roe; two nephews, Glenn Thummel of Harlan, Iowa and Duane Thummel, of Council Bluffs, Iowa; three great nephews and three great nieces.

He was formerly a member of the Maple Grove Methodist church, where he was a faithful member for over 50 years, serving in official duties, both in the Church and the Sunday school.  He became a member of the first Baptist Church of Bedford in January 1955 where he has been active with the Senior Citizens group and has served on the Board of Deacons.

He was a kind and considerate husband and friend and will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

[Edward Duane Thummel]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    December 23, 1976

Final Rites Held Here Monday For Duane Thummel

Funeral services for Edward Duane Thummel of Council Bluffs, former Bedford resident, were held in Council Bluffs Sunday and the Bedford United Methodist Church December 20, conducted by Rev. James Stiles and Rev. Dwayne Madsen.  Mr. Thummel died December 17, 1976, as a result of an automobile accident near Henderson, Ia.

Interment was at Fairview Cemetery, Bedford.

Thummel was northbound on Highway 58 about 3:30 p.m. Friday when his car was struck by an eastbound car on 244 driven by Linda K. Nelson of Maryville, Mo.

A passenger in Thummel's car, Rosemary Schrunk, 32, of Council Bluffs, was reported in satisfactory condition in a Bluffs hospital.  Ms. Nelson was not injured.

Thummel's wife, who survives at 1281 Wedgewood Drive in Council Bluffs, is the former Irma Schell of Hopkins, Mo.  Their son, Keane, is of Minneapolis, Minn. and brother Glenn of Harlan.  He had two grandchildren.

Thummel was employed at the Mental Health Institute while in Clarinda and took courses at Iowa Western.  The couple moved to Harlan from Clarinda to manage a nursing home, later transferring to similar work at West Branch and Council Bluffs.

He was currently nutritional director at Iowa Western College and in charge of meal sites throughout southwest Iowa.

He and his secretary had been in Elliot prior to the accident to discuss opening of a new meal site there.

[Thummel, Edward Duane]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday      January 6, 1977     p. 4

Last Rites Held December 20 for Duane Thummel

Edward Duane Thummel of Council Bluffs, Ia., died December 17, 1976, as a result of a fatal car accident near Henderson, Ia. Memorial services were held at 3 p. m. Sunday afternoon, December 19, 1976, at Meyers Chapel in Council Bluffs with Rev. James Stiles of St. Mark’s Methodist Church officiating. Final services were held at 2 p. m. at the Methodist Church in Bedford, Ia., December 20, 1976, conducted by Rev. Dwayne Madsen of Bedford Methodist Church. Interment was in Fairview Cemetery, Bedford.

Duane Thummel was born in Taylor County, Ia., July 25, 1918, and died at the age of 58 years, four months and 22 days. He was the third son of Frank C.[harles] and Alice Butts Thummel.

He grew to manhood in Taylor County. Early in life he became a Christian and continuously thereafter was a faithful member of the Methodist Church wherever he resided.

He attended rural schools in Taylor County, graduated from Bedford High School, attended Maryville State Teacher’s college, Iowa State University where he majored in farming. He was employed in Bedford by the State Soil Conservation Service, spent several years farming in Ross Twp. On the farm which had been homesteaded by his grandfather, Walker Butts.

In 1965 he moved to Clarinda, Ia., where he was employed at Mental Health Institute, and during this time he attended L. P. N. School and became a Licensed Practical Nurse. In 1970 he received his B. S. degree in Psychology from Maryville State University and dedicated his life to serving the elderly as Nursing Home Administrator at Harlan, West Branch and Council Bluffs, Ia.

Presently he was Project Director for Area 13 Agency on Aging serving as Nutritional Director in southwest Iowa. He loved all people, but had a most special spot in his heart for the elderly and the infirmed.

On April 14, 1951 he was married to Irma Mae Shell of Hopkins, Mo. One son, Keane Franklin, was born to them.

He is survived by his wife, Irma, their son, Keane; two grandchildren, Marcy Lynn and Nicholas Keane Thummel; a brother, Glenn Thummel; two nephews; three nieces; his mother-in-law, Janette Shell; cousins; and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Olin Thummel.

Duane loved life and believed life was too short to spend in one place doing the same thing. He enjoyed every job he had and cherished the many friendships made in the various places he had lived. Faith in God, music, optimism, kindness and love helped him to live each day to the very fullest.

[Seth Edward "Ed" Thompson]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    January 1, 1953    [p. 1]

S. E. Thompson Succumbed Dec. 21

Seth Edward Thompson was born in Bedford, Iowa, June 4, 1868, and died December 21, 1952.   He was the oldest son of a family of eight children born to Martha Hedrick and James Monroe Thompson.

In 1923, Mr. Thompson became president of the Thompson Mercantile Company, which office he held until his death.

He was married in 1899 to Adelaide Stratton of Chicago.  He is survived by his wife and the following children, Richard H. [edrick], Katharine C. [arrolle], Alan D. [e Forest], and Charles E. [dward], of Bedford; Mrs. J. E. [dwin] Griswold [Julia], Wheaton, Ill., Mrs. W. [hitfield] D. [odge] Hillyer [Mary Elinor], Evanston, Ill., Mrs. D. [onald] E. [dward] Carlton [Edith], Denver, Colo.

He is also survived by two brothers, Ralph and Guy and a sister, Mrs. Mary Richardson of Bedford; a brother John and sister Mrs. Harry Guthrie [Helen] of Alhambra, Calif.; twelve grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

[William Ross Marley]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    May 27, 1954    p. 10

Will Marley Rites Friday

Will Marley, a resident of Bedford and community all of his life, died at his home in Bedford, May 19.  Funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Robt. M. Peters.  Burial was in Bedford cemetery.

William Ross Marley, eldest son of Oron [Oren] L. [afayette] and Lizzie [Elizabeth] C. [aroline] Richardson Marley, was born Feb. 2, 1879 and died at the age of 75 years, two months, 22 days.

He was born on the farm 2 ½ miles southwest of Bedford.  He grew to manhood in that vicinity and continued to live there until 1920, when he retired from farming and came to Bedford to make his home.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Floyd, who died in infancy, and D. Fred Marley, who died in 1947.

Surviving are two brothers, Robert C. [leveland] Marley and John E. [arl] Marley; one sister, Mrs. Jennie Marley Trumbo; one niece, Lucile Trumbo; three nephews, Carl, Wayne and Jack Marley, all of Bedford; one nephew, Francis Trumbo of Van Nuys, Calif.; several great nieces and nephews, who will always remember him for his many kindnesses.

Will was confined to his bed the past six years, and his sister, Jennie, and niece, Lucile, lovingly cared for his every need.  Will Marley will be missed for his quiet but sincere manner.  All who knew him respected him.

 [Spencer Smith Boyer]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    July 23, 1908    [p. 4]

Death of S. S. Boyer.

Spencer Smith Boyer was born at Barnesville, [Belmont County] Ohio, January 29, 1847, the eldest of eight children.

In his eighteenth year he united with the Christian church in which faith he died.  He was united in marriage with Jeannette Mechem September 14, 1865.  To this union were born seven children, six of whom survive him.  September 15, 1867, Mr. Boyer and wife moved to Illinois and four years later to Iowa where he was one of the Pioneer settlers of Northern Iowa, enduring all hardships of the early pioneer.  In 1905 Mr. Boyer and family moved to Bruce, [Rusk County] Wis.  Last year he sold his farm and moved near Canton [Buffalo County, Wisconsin], where he died July 3, of valvular heart disease from which he had suffered for many years, never complaining.  Even those who were nearest and dearest were totally unprepared for the shock which his death gave, he being in his usual health up to about ten minutes before death, which found his wife alone with him.  His daughter Lois, and sons, L. [ewis] G. [ilbert] Boyer and George, reached the bedside a few minutes after death had relieved his suffering.  He was a man of the strictest integrity, a kind, loving husband and father, a good neighbor and respected by all who knew him.  Besides his bereaved wife and six children, a grandson, to whom he has been a father since infancy, and four sisters and one brother mourn his loss.  The children are as follows:  W. [illiam] S.[pencer] Boyer of Clarion, Ia., L. [ewis] G. [ilbert] Boyer of Cameron, Wis., Mrs. Eva Buswell of Waterloo, Ia., Mrs. Myrtle Kent of Hopkins, Mo., Mrs. Lois Houk of Cameron, Wis., Mrs. Lillian Williamson of Sheridan, Mo., and George who is still at home.

Funeral services were conducted at the home by Rev. Misdall of Cameron, [Barron County] Wis., after which the remains were laid to rest in the beautiful cemetery at Chetek [Barron County, Wisconsin].

[Robert Meikle]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    July 13, 1899    [p. 1]

Robert Meikle Dead.

Robert Meikle was born near Strathaven, Lanarkshire, Scotland, October 20, 1848.  He immigrated to America in the spring of 1870, and located in Taylor County, Ia.

He was united in marriage to Miss Agnes K. Marr, on March 14, 1883, in Taylor County, Iowa.  To this union four children were born, one son and three daughters, all of whom survive him.  His wife preceded him to the better land Aug. 10, 1896.  Mr. Meikle has been in failing health during the past six or seven years.  In 1892 he united with the Presbyterian Church of which he continued a faithful member.

He died at his home two miles west of Bedford at 12 o'clock, p. m., July 6, 1899, aged 50 years, 8 months and 16 days.  Funeral services were held at his late residence at 2 p. m., July 8, 1899, conducted by Rev. E. N. Ware, pastor of the Bedford Presbyterian church.  A large number of friends and relatives were present to pay a last tribute to the departed one.  The body was interred in the Fairview cemetery.

[Jane Johnson Marley]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    September 10, 1896    [p. 3]

Died.

Mrs. Jane [Johnson] Marley, better known as "Grandma Marley" by a large circle of friends, died at her home 3 ½ miles southwest of Bedford, on Tuesday, Sept. 8th, 1896, aged 88 years, 7 months and 21 days.

The funeral will be from the home at 3 o'clock this, Thursday, afternoon and will be conducted by Rev. J. O. Lewis.   Interment will be at Bedford cemetery.  The deceased has been a resident of Taylor County for more than 20 years and leaves four sons.  The deceased was an estimable woman, and her death is mourned by a large number of friends.

[Bessie House Nelson]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday   August 21, 1969     p. 8

Rites In Clearfield For Mrs. Lyle Nelson

Funeral services for Mrs. Lyle (Bessie) [House] Nelson, 66, of Clearfield, were held August 7 at the Clearfield Christian church with Rev. Chou Tink Youn officiating.  Mrs. Nelson died August 5 at Rosary Hospital in Corning.  Interment was at the Clearfield Cemetery.

Among her survivors are her husband, Lyle; two sons, Dean and Paul Nelson of Clearfield; two daughters, Mrs. Thelma Brown and Mrs. Darlene Taylor, both of Clearfield; several grandchildren and many friends.

[Walter Francis Mason]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    August 21, 1969    p. 8

Walter Mason, 80, Rites August 15

Funeral services for Walter [Francis] Mason, 80, of Clearfield were held August 13 at the Warner Funeral Home in Clearfield, conducted by Rev. Chou Tink Youn.  Mr. Mason died at Clearview Home August 11.  Interment was at the Clearfield Cemetery.

Mr. Mason was a retired farmer and World War I veteran.

He is survived by a son, Olin, his wife, Rosalie, and son, Jim; three sisters, Mrs. Blanche Lawler, Bedford, Mrs. Bernice Hunter, Conway, and Mrs. Cordice Nixon, Tarkio, Mo.

[Angeline "Angie" Null George Keith]

Bedford Free Press

Thursday    May 7, 1908    [p. 1]

Obituary.

Angeline Null was born in Wheeling, W. Va., May 30th, 1833, and died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Sarah Reynolds, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, May 3rd, 1908, at the age of 74 years, 11 months and 3 days.

She was twice married, first to Isaac George.  Three children were born to them, one deceased; the others are Mrs. Esther Keith [Mary Etta], so recently bereaved of her husband [George], and Sarah Reynolds of Council Bluffs.  Mr. George died in the hospital at Nashville, Tenn., he being a Union soldier in the civil war, and was buried in the cemetery at Nashville.  The mother, after this, in every way possible endeavored to support herself and family.  Four years after the death of her husband she was married to Jas. S. Keith.  Three children were the result of this union.  They are Maggie Day, of Hart, Mich., Chas. K. and [Hilary] Bert, of Des Moines.  She was also a faithful mother to her husband's children; one of these, James, is deceased, the others are Levi, of Oklahoma, William and Joseph, of Bedford, Silas, of Council Bluffs, and Anna, of Deer Park, Wash.  These, her husband's children, remember and love this faithful woman as their own mother.

Fourteen years ago her husband, James Keith, died and left her again a widow.  She has made her home in recent years with her sons in Des Moines, and when making a visit to her daughter, Mrs. Reynolds, in Council Bluffs, died.  In recent years she was a great sufferer from rheumatism and this led up to a stroke of paralysis, which resulted in her death.

In young womanhood she united with the Methodist Episcopal church and in more recent years renewed her covenant and united with the Methodist church in Creston.

Hers was a life of conflict.  She was a faithful wife and mother. "She rests from all her labors and her works follow her."

The remains were brought here Tuesday and on Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, at the M. E. church, the funeral services were held, conducted by Rev. W. M. Dudley.  Interment was in Bedford cemetery.