Obituaries
submitted by: Julia Johnson - juliajoh@usc.edu

[Charles Webb]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    October 14, 1948   [p.1]

Aged Man Killed on Motorcycle

Charles Webb, 72, met instant death Saturday night, October 2, when he was thrown from his motorcycle near his home at Greencastle, [Putnam County] Indiana.  The funeral services were held there the following Tuesday afternoon, the Masonic Lodge being in charge.

Mr. Webb was a brother of the late Mrs. R. [obert] L. [etcher] Henry [Alice Marie Webb] and had visited in Bedford with the Henry family on several different occasions.  He is survived by a half-sister, Mrs. Fannie Hill, who resides in California; and by nieces and nephews, the Henry children.

Hubert, Beryl and Doyle Henry went by plane to Indiana for the funeral services.

 

[Bertha Thompson Ratliff]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    September 16, 1948    p. 4

Obituary -- Mrs. Bertha Ratliff

Mrs. Bertha Ratliff, 61, wife of J. [ames] Blaine Ratliff of Kingsport, Tenn., died August 14 following a lingering illness.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church there and had been closely associated with the church, wherever she lived, since early childhood.

Surviving are her husband; one daughter, Miss Rosa Lee [Rosalie] Ratliff of Kingsport; five brothers, Elmer, Lester, Troy, Arthur and Walter Thompson, all of Bedford; two sisters, Mrs. Roy Newkirk [Flossie] of Bedford and Mrs. Bert Taylor [Effie] of Lenox.

Funeral services were held at Kingsport and burial was made there.

Mrs. Newkirk, Elmer Thompson, and Walter Thompson visited their sister during her last illness.

[RATLIFF, BERTHA THOMPSON]
Kingsport Times-News (Kingsport, Tennessee), Sunday, August 15, 1948
Mrs. Bertha Ratliff – Mrs. Bertha Mae Ratliff, 61, of 917 Poplar Street, wife of J. [ames] Blaine Ratliff, Gibson Milling Company operator, died at Holston Valley Community Hospital at 11 a. m. Saturday following a lingering illness.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church here and had been closely associated with the church wherever she lived, since early childhood. She came to Kingsport from Iowa.
Surviving are her husband; one daughter, Miss Rosa Lee Ratliff, Kingsport; five brothers, Elmer, Lester, Troy, Arthur and Walter Thomson [Thompson], all of Bedford, Iowa; and two sisters, Mrs. Roy Newkirk, Bedford, Iowa and Mrs. Bert Taylor, Lenox, Iowa.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 10:30 a. m. at the First Baptist Church. The rev. S. L. Trent will officiate. Burial will be in the City Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be: Ed Smith, Raymond Killian, C. P. Jones, H. D. Kenner, Aaron Roberts and Lloyd Williams.
The body will be removed to the home at 11 a. m. Sunday from Weaver-Cooper Funeral Home. It will remain there until 9:30 a. m. Tuesday when it will be removed to the church to lie in state for one hour before the service.

 

[John Meikle]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    September 30, 1948    [p. 1]

John Meikle Dies of a Heart Attack

John Meikle, 73, was found dead at his farm east of Bedford about 6 o'clock Wednesday evening, where it was thought he had died earlier in the day.  He had gone to the farm that morning to sow grass seed and his body was found by his car at the gate of the field. He had not been seen since 10 o'clock that morning.  Earl Smith and family reside on the farm and had been away from home during the day.

He is survived by three daughters and one son.  They are Mrs. John Roller [Thelma] of Chicago, Mrs. Wayne Nickel [Elaine] of Monterey, California, Miss Margaret Meikle of Long Beach, Calif., and John Harold Meikle of St. Louis, Missouri.  Also by two brothers, Roy Meikle and Wm. T. Meikle, both of Bedford.  There are also three grandchildren.

 

[John Meikle]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    October 7, 1948    [p. 1]

Hold Meikle Rites Here Saturday A.M.

Funeral services for John Meikle were held at the Shum Funeral Home at 10:30 o'clock Saturday forenoon, conducted by Rev. Gordon F. MacLean.  Burial was in the Fairview cemetery [Bedford].

John Meikle, eldest son of William and Ella [Aiton] Meikle, was born west of Bedford, May 5, 1875, and died Wednesday, September 29.  He was preceded in death by his parents and an only sister, Agnes Goodspeed.

At an early age, he became a member of the Presbyterian Church at Morning Star, where he was an active officer for many years.

In March 1906, he was married to Hortense Gibbens.  To them four children were born: Thelma, Elaine, John H. and Margaret, all of whom survive.  He is also survived by two grandchildren, Margaret Jane Roller and Jon Wayne Nickel; and by two brothers, Roy Meikle and William T. Meikle, both of Bedford.

John Meikle's entire life of successful farming and business endeavors were well known in this community.  He was highly respected for his business judgment and personal integrity.  To the last moment of life he showed an active interest in the work that he felt was his particular calling, that of farming.

 

[Eva McCloud]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    June 30, 1949    [p.1]

Eva McCloud Is Dead at 96

Miss Eva McCloud, a resident of Bedford and Taylor County since 1855, died at the home of Mrs. H.L. Hartzler, Saturday, June 25 at the age of 96 years, 7 months and 23 days.

The funeral services were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Russell G. Nye, pastor of the Bedford Methodist Church.  Burial was in the Graceland Cemetery.

Miss McCloud was the second daughter of John S. [elf] and [Miranda] Jane [McLain] McCloud, and was born in [Muskingum County] Ohio, November 2, 1852.  When about three years of age, she came with her parents in a covered wagon to Iowa and the family settled on a farm west of Bedford.  There were five children in the family.  The father died in 1861 after a short illness contracted by exposure while encamped in Gentry County, Missouri, with the company that went from Bedford that year.  The oldest daughter also died, leaving the care of the family to the mother.

The family later moved into town and the McCloud residence property is still well known to residents of Bedford.  In the fall of 1876, Miss Eva McCloud began teaching in the Bedford schools and continued in this profession for many years.  After retiring from teaching, she was associated with her sister, Miss Irene McCloud, in the McCloud Millinery Store, the first door east of the Times-Press office.

In early life, Miss McCloud united with the Methodist Church and was active in the work of the church throughout the years, as long as her health permitted.  She shared the responsibilities of the Sunday school and in the women's organizations, assisting wherever she could.  Both in age and in years of membership, she was the oldest member of the Bedford Methodist Church.

Miss McCloud was active in all civic projects in Bedford, being responsible for the organizing of the Women's Civic League, which functioned in Bedford for many years.  She was its first president and was instrumental in the plans that every woman in Bedford was asked to belong to this organization, which did many timely things for the town.

Miss McCloud was one of the members of the original committee appointed by the Bedford City Council to plan for a library for Bedford, and after the building of the library, she was retained as a board member, serving as its first secretary for approximately twenty-five years.

She was a charter member of Chapter CU of the P.E.O. Sisterhood of Bedford.  As one of her friends has said, 'She was a grand person.'

She is survived by a one brother, I. [mri] L. [incoln] McCloud, his wife [Olive Chute] and family of Washington, D.C.; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Carr McCloud [Emmie Dee Murphy] of Shreveport, Louisiana.

 

[Richard Campbell]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 30, 1950   [p. 1]

Former County Official Dies

Richard Campbell, former county official for many years, died at his home in Bedford Saturday, March 25, after a short illness.

The funeral services were held at the Shum Funeral Home Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Gordon F. MacLean.  Burial was in Memory Cemetery at New Market.

Richard Campbell, son of John and Catherine Fraser Campbell, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on September 26, 1869, being aged 80 years, 5 months, 29 days at the time of his death.

On December 25, 1890, he was married to Susan May Adams and to them were born ten children, four of them preceding him in death.  Remaining with his wife are two sons, Archie L. Campbell of Corning and Albert E. Campbell of Bedford; four daughters, Mrs. Glen Leighton [Floris Hazel] and Mrs. Beryl Henry [Violet] of Bedford, Mrs. A. F. Cirksena of Des Moines, and Mrs. Adrian Dubach [Alta Marie] of Chicago.  There are seventeen grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Mr. Campbell served in the Taylor County Court House as County Recorder and County Clerk for 18 years.

 

[Richard Campbell]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 30, 1950    [p. 1]

Attend Campbell Rites

Among those from out of town, who attended the last rites for Richard Campbell in Bedford Tuesday, were Mrs. Adrian Dubach [Alta Marie], Mrs. Everett Newman and daughter Shirley of Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Cirksena, Jimmie, John and David of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. A. [rchie] L. Campbell of Joplin, Missouri; Mr. and Mrs. A. [lbert] E. Campbell, Jr. of Waterloo, Iowa; Mrs. Robert Ratekin of Red Oak.

 

[Elias Andrew Kemery]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    March 30, 1950    p. 5

Obituary--Andy Kemery

Funeral services for Andy Kemery were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Thursday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Fred H. Cowles.  Burial was in the Fairview Cemetery [Bedford].

Elias Andrew Kemery, son of Henry and Catherine [Brown] Kemery, was born in Jackson Township, Taylor County, Iowa, September 5, 1865, and died March 21, 1950, at the age of 84 years, 6 months, 16 days.

On March 16, 1892, he was married to Ermina Hays.  To them two sons, were born, Roy and Karl, both of Bedford, who survive.  He is also survived by one grandson, Charles Kemery of Bedford; two brothers, George and Francis, of Bedford; and one nephew.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, one brother and one sister.

 

[Albert Calvin Taylor]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    July 6, 1950    [p. 1]

Bert Taylor Dies At Home In Lenox

Bert Taylor, 80, a life-long resident of Taylor County, died at his home in Lenox, Saturday night about 9 o'clock, after an illness of the past two months.

The funeral services were held at the Arnold Funeral Home Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Mervin Coad.  Burial was in the Lenox cemetery.

Mr. Taylor was born near Bedford.  He and Mrs. Taylor celebrated their fifty-sixth wedding anniversary on June 21, 1950.

Survivors include his wife; one son, Clark Taylor of Maryville, Missouri; four daughters, Ruby Taylor of Creston, Mrs. Guy Brown [Susie] of Sharpsburg, Mrs. George Martin [Vera] of Winterset, Mrs. Lloyd Hamblin [Helen] of Lenox; and four grandchildren.

 

[Albert Calvin Taylor]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    July 13, 1950

Obituary - Albert Taylor

Albert Calvin Taylor, youngest child of Jacob and Susan Taylor, was born near Bedford, in Taylor County, Iowa, on Dec. 29, 1869, and died at his home in Lenox, on July 1, 1950, aged 80 years, 6 months and 2 days.

On June 21, 1894, he was married to Effie Estella Thompson.  To them five children were born: Susie Brown of Sharpsburg, Ruby Taylor of Lenox, Clark of Maryville, Mo., Vera Martin of Winterset and Helen Hamblin of Gravity.  All of his life was spent in Taylor County, with the exception of one year spent in Enid, Okla.  His father, mother, one brother and six sisters preceded him in death.  Those surviving are his wife, five children, three sons-in-law, four grandchildren, Gary and Richard Hamblin and Billy and Karen Martin, nieces and nephews, one brother-in-law, and many friends.

 

[Oren Lester Thompson]

Bedford Times-Press

Thursday    September 28, 1950    [p.1]

Services Held For Lester Thompson, 71

Lester Thompson, farmer residing west of Bedford, died at his home Sunday morning, Sept. 24.  He had been in failing health for several years.

Funeral services were held at the Shum funeral home Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Robt. M. Peters.  Burial was in the Graceland cemetery.

Oren Lester Thompson, son of Ira G. [raff] and] Alice Warder Thompson, was born near Bloomfield, Iowa, Oct. 22, 1878, and passed away at his home a mile west of Bedford Sept. 24, 1950, at the age of 71 years, 11 months, and 2 days.

He was united in marriage with Pearl Clark at Bedford, Dec. 22, 1909.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Pearl Clark Thompson, of the home west of Bedford, Mrs. Effie Taylor, a sister of Lenox, Iowa; Mrs. Flossie Newkirk, another sister of Bedford; and four brothers, Troy, Arthur, Elmer and Walter, all of Bedford; and by a number of nieces and nephews.  One sister Mrs. Bertha Ratliff died in 1948.

Mr. Thompson had been a member of the Bedford Methodist church since 1918, when he and his wife transferred here from the Greenwood church on the Conway charge.